


'Till the end

by cyborg_sama



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Immortal (The Old Guard), Andy and Quynh are exs, Archaeology, Betrayal, Booker is a bartender, Childhood Trauma, Crusades, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone honestly needs therapy, F/F, F/M, Family, Forgiveness, Greek, Healing, Historians, Just 6 raging disasters on the loose, M/M, Medieval, Misunderstandings, Past Lives, Reincarnation, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:41:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 25,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26251357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyborg_sama/pseuds/cyborg_sama
Summary: An archaeological discovery at the coast of Greece prompts the meeting of 6 very different and very broken individuals. An old drowned artifact brings them together in one way or another. As they slowly uncover it's secrets, they will come to find an ancient truth.A truth surrounding the last noble House of Scythia.A truth of medieval affairs, of bloody betrayals, and of unfulfilled promises from a past life.OR: basically a CALL ME BY YOUR NAME inspired au with angsty andy and quynh, wholesome joe and nicky fluff and a slow burn of booker and nile + everyone's dire need of therapy with a bit of extra shakespearean spicing.
Relationships: Andy | Andromache of Scythia & Quynh | Noriko, Booker | Sebastien le Livre & Nile Freeman, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 37
Kudos: 74





	1. Chapter 1

They say the ocean is blue because it holds so much drowned secrets and much more unknown in it’s blue ravine. There needs to be a passion of excitement to love the sea. A passion of mysteries and respect of the darkness.

For however calm the sea is, it remains as untamed as a stallion at heart. A unconstrained wildness. Vengeful and angry--- yet peaceful.

The ocean surface broke. A swirl of waves hurled around as sea-green foams bubbled up from beneath. There was a deafening silence within the water and a stillness for many moment as an unmoving object plummets downwards into the darker blue.

Sinking. Deep. Falling. Deeper. Letting go.

A school of fish scattered in disarray which caught the attention of the diver. With a kick and a flip of it’s fins, the diver swirls in the water, projecting even downwards where the daylight scarcely touch.

Switching a flashlight on, it scoured the ocean floor below. It wasn’t the deepest ocean floor. Just a couple feet deep from the Greek shorelines. 

Perhaps a _hundred_. No more. No less.

When the flashlight caught a movement of a bright tentacled creature, the diver freezes in place. The familiar form of an octopus took shape. A pair of wide eyes stared into the light. Ever so carefully the diver pulls up a camera and switches the film to record.

For a few breathless moments, everything was calm. The octopus laid lazily in the sand without much care of the strange light. Or so it seemed before it bolted across the sea bed in an amazing speed.

With it’s race, the diver quickly swims after it, careful not to lose it. They’ve been trying to catch a glimpse of the intriguing creature for so long now. It wasn’t about to get away that easily.

Setting the camera in place and recording, the diver followed after the orange little octopus as it scoured the sea floor, rising up a debris of dust and sand. But the diver kept close with a fiery determination.

But the subtle chase soon ends when the octopus burrowed into it’s den, disappearing completely from view. The diver slowed into a halt and tended to the camera, making sure to save the recording before anything else. Satisfied, the diver puts the camera aside to look at the surroundings.

It wasn’t much. A scatter of corals in at the rocky surface there and a few lazy urchins on the floor beds. It looked so peaceful in the cozy underwater village.

But the a shine of silver reflects the bright flashlight back into the diver’s eyes. Interested by the glow, the diver swims up a few feet towards it. After a careful review, the diver decided that it seemed to be an old, rusted lock, if not an ancient one.

With a steady set of hands, the diver tried to pick the finding but found that it was still bolted and locking something beneath the sandy bed. With a brush of sand, the diver peered down at what it was still sealing well into the 21st century.

But as delicate fingers tried to discover the true form of the mysterious object, a sudden sense of anxiety and deja vu washes over like a deadly wave despite the ocean being calmer than a baby’s cradle.

_You._

_Me._

_In the end._

...

A gasp catches the crew’s attention.

“Dr. Nguyen.” A young blonde quickly jumped from his seat to help the diver out from the ocean.

Grabbing their hands, the diver steps back onto the boat and pulls down the equipment from her face. She took a moment to breath as her legs gave away beneath her, exhausted from the ocean’s pressure from the dive.

“Hey. You alright?” One of her fellow biologist eyed her with worry as he squats down to her level.

Quynh silently offered him the recording she had taken earlier which earned a cheer of applause when they quickly skimmed through it. The Vietnamese biologist chuckled as her crew helped her back on her feet and she welcomed their embrace whole heartedly.

But after a moment and a serious pat on a back there, she silently demanded to be released from the brute hold as she wriggled her way out of the last one.

As she took a deep breath and as her arm still lingered at the hold of another, she casts her eyes out at the sea. The Greek coast was just a visible line in the east horizon.

“I think.” She started, gaining the attention of her co-workers once more. Quynh opened her palm and looked at the rusted necklace within. It was old. Ancient. Rusted. 

And it called out to her...

“I may have found something.” She turned to her crew, revealing her discovery as they peered in for a closer look.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive never seen this concept done yet for the old guard so let me know in the comments if you'd like me to continue and also im pretty much walking blind here so suggestions will be welcomed with open arms, thanks love.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mix of work and fate brings Andy home to Greece with her work partners, Nicky and Copley.
> 
> She arrives to fish out an old artifact from the sea but as the sea is, unexpected, it may just give her something else in addition, even if it's something Andy rather not have back in her life.

When Andy lifts her eye cover to take a peek outside, she sees that they have arrived in Greece. _Home._ Nicky was besides her, eyes opened, looking dead as ever. But Nicky always looked dead and boring and serious- and gentle so that wasn’t new.

“You didn’t catch any sleep?” Andy asked with a yawn as she place the eye cover over her forehead.

“I’m afraid not.” He sighed as he leaned back in his seat.

“Did you take the Advil I gave you?”

“Hey when the guy above wills you not to sleep, you won’t get a wink of it.” He shrugs, irritably.

The seat belt sign shines to indicate they can now get up to retrieve their baggages and prepare to leave the plane. Andy moves although reluctant and grabs her stuff as well as Nicky’s bag and tosses it at him.

“Is that all you brought?” She asked surprised as she brings down her carry-on.

“Well I got my other stuff in the luggage. But if you’re asking about the books- I shipped it to your place before we left.”

“Pardon me, truly.”

Andy looked behind her and chuckled. “I know _you_ definitely got some sleep.”

Copley squeezed through a couple of people and stopped behind Andy and quickly adjusted his neck pillow that was perched around his neck. “You kidding me? Of course I got some sleep.” He looked over at Nicky who was hugging his backpack at this point, looking grouchy with his dark circles, as his work partners boast about their sleeping habits.

“Well, we’re finally here.” Copley tries with an excited smile.

“Yep, well.” Andy replied casually as she began to move forward as the line started to walk on, giving a quick tap on Nicky’s shoulder. “Nicky, _dài_. Come on.”

Nicky grumbled and wiped his face harshly with his hands before he pulls his hood over his head and get up. Copley hold the line behind him to allow him passage first. Nicky slung his bag over a shoulder and gave Copley an appreciative nod. “Thanks, Copley.”

“Anytime.” Copley chuckled and gives Nicky’s shoulders a double pat as he followed Nicky and the line continues.

The team finally stepped into the doable heat of a Greek summer as they stepped down the stairs and into the dry and calm runway. They were lead inside the terminal where they get passed and picked up their luggages. When they finally emerge out, a dusty jeep awaits them outside. 

“ _Γεια σας!_ Hello!” A short chunky man greets them. He was wearing a rather large hat that blocked him from the direct rays of the sun. “Professor Copley?”

“Please. James.” Copley extends a hand which was taken in with a warm welcoming handshake. 

“Hector. My team and I will be helping you with the digging. Or rather fishing this time I guess?”

“Ah right, yes of course. My apologies, Hector. I’m pretty sure we held you a while there. Our plane ran a little late.”

“No worries, sir. Come on get in. Oh the luggages can go in the back, right here.” Hector goes over to the back and pops the trunk open and helped Copley with his pack.

Andy comes in right behind Copley and the man helps her with her rather heavier load. “Sorry...” She apologized without sounding too sorry and rather just to fill up the awkward silence as her luggage rattled as it shift. “Got a lot of tool in there.” She explained which didn’t help as much.

“No worries. No worries.” Hector waved an easy hand. “Ah you must be Dr. Adeline Baker and Dr. Nicholas Smith.”

“Andy.” She corrects him with a handshake. With Andy out of the way, Nicky lifts his own load up the truck and pushed it in to make sure there was room for the trunk to close again. Andy side glances at him and point to her work partner. “And he’s Nicky.”

“Andy and Nicky. Got it.” He nodded as he gestured for them to get in. Copley had already made himself quite comfortable in the front.

The team was then driven to the discovery site. Not much was known about the finding. Even the band of marine biologists who found it weren't sure what it was. 

The smooth drive had Nicky drowsing but didn’t quite lull sleep yet and Andy found entertainment on her phone, replying to texts and trying to inspect her socials. Copley and Hector found a shared interest and chatted as they drove by the Greek coastlines.

As they came to a halt by on a quiet beach, the team take a quick look around the area. Andy enjoyed the gentle kiss of the sun on her bare neck and she closed her eyes beneath her dark sunglasses, breathing in the familiar salty breeze. Nicky found a sharp pair of shades for himself to conceal his dying and sleep deprived eyes but he wouldn’t lie that the peace found in the beach brought a smile to his exhausted soul. He tried to surpass a yawn and turned around to stretch and loosen himself after the long travel from the plane and the drive.

“We’ve closed the beach, or well at least this part, until your work is done.” Hector informed them. Mostly Copley who was listening intently.

“Thank you, Hector. Of course we will be moving the object to another site for a detailed examination but we would like to scout the area further, in case there are anymore artifacts.”

“Do you have a diving team then?”

“Not quite yet. Most of our archaeological divers are rather occupied. But we’ll figure something out.”

Nicky let out a cough behind them that went ignored.

Hector continued to explain to Copley that he’ll try to help in what ever way he can and also let him know that the equipments and cranes would be arriving form Athens the next day.

Nicky let out another cough.

“Did someone need a diver?”

The team turned around at the different voice and their eyes fell on Nicky--- with a pair of pale feminine arms around his shoulders and a girl in his arms. Even underneath his shades and behind his gentle and kind smile, Nicky looked panicked and concerned. His eyes immediately locked with Andy’s when she turned at the voice.

Deep down she _knew_ the voice.

No. In all honesty, she didn't even need to ponder to know who the voice belonged to.

She'd know the voice anywhere.

Even if it was voice phished or over a speaker or megaphone.

That _gentle melody_ to her ear.

The girl let go of Nicky and Nicky gave her a genuine smile. “Good to see you. I’d never expect to find you here.”

The Asian girl laughed. “Of all places! Am I right, Andy?”

Andy’s mouth ran dryer than the Saharan desert. She used a moment to gather herself, and another moment to calm her storming emotions within. 

Storming memories of her.

Then when she felt brave enough to know her voice won’t quiver, she uttered her name. Flat. Firm. And longing. “Quynh.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so im not italian or greek so excuse me if i made any errors on the bits and prhases. anyways. look forward for a booker cameo next chapter.  
> as always dont forget to comment me your feedbacks. thanks love.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A distressed Andy gives an old friend a call, searching for a glimpse of clarity in the mess that is her life.

“Hey.”

“Andy!” A merry voice cheers at her greeting beyond the line. “How’s it going? Are you in Greece yet?”

“Yeah yeah.” Andy sighs as she looked down on the old floors and leans back on the wall behind her. “I’m home. In Cythera.”

“In your mansion? Sick.”

“It’s not a mansion, Book.”

“If it’s bigger than my cubicle of an apartment, yes it is.” Booker scoffs as he set down the crate of drinks on the bar table. “Hey- Get this over there.” He commanded to one of the bar employees.

“Sorry And.” Booker apologizes as he gets back on the call with his old friend. “So, yeah. How is it? I’m actually surprised how close to home work got you. Like it’s basically at your doorsteps at this point, am I right?”

“A boat ride away.” Andy nodded.

“O’Course. Damn I haven’t been there in a while.” Booker started as he set up his bar stand for the busy weekend night. “No- Scratch that. You haven’t been back home in while. Ever since....” He stopped himself immediately as soon as he realized where the sentence would lead him.

“Quynh?”

Booker cursed silently, and backs away from his work for a moment. “Andy I-”

“She’s here.”

Booker nodded in understanding for a moment before speaking. “I know how you feel. People linger in places. Especially places you made memories with.”

“No- Book. She’s actually here..” Andy emphasizes.

“It’s hard, I get it- Wait what.”

“She’s here. In Greece.” Andy glances behind her, peering from the edge of the wall and catches a glimpse of Quynh giving Nicky and Copley some steaming tea as they chatted with her. “She’s in my fucking living room.”

“Wait-” Booker rose his head up in attempt to clear his mind for a better understanding of the situation before he shook his head in defeat. “Huh?” He asked helplessly.

“She was the diver.” Andy blurted out, resuming her back into the wall. “The one who found the artifact.”

Booker blinked. “That doesn’t explain how she’s in your living room.”

“Well apparently she had a research going on in Neapolis and she didn’t want nothing to do with the dusty hotel beds, so she she figured the next best thing was to illegally crash in her exes mansion because apparently she still owns that fancy as purple mattress in our room, the one she got for us last time we were here.” Andy ends with a deep breath.

Booker gave her a moment to breath before he smirks. “Told ya it was a mansion.”

Andy sighed as she rolls her eyes, completely dodging the lame joke. “I don’t know what to do Book.”

“You could always kick her out. Report her for trespassing.”

“I’m not as cold hearted as you.” Andy shot back at him.

Booker shrugged in his defense. “Eyy thats what you _should_ do but personally- Honestly Andy.” Andy shifts her phone to listen better listen to his next word, which she realized at the same moment she shouldn’t because it was the same as asking an old drunk grump for relationship advice but she was too late to stop him. “Honestly- If it were myself. With all this universe- Fate working for me then... I don’t know. Maybe it’s not such a bad thing?”

“Book. You’ve been with me for the longest. You know we don’t work. You’ve seen what we do to each other.”

Booker sighed and leans forward on the bar counter. “It’s not the most healthiest yes, but really what’s a healthy relationship at this point?”

“We literally destroy each other by the end. It’s not just unhealthy..” Andy paused as she looks down guiltily at her boots. “It’s toxic.”

“Alright- Then what are you going to do now?”

Andy wets her dried lips and dropped her head low in defeat. “I don’t know. Copley needs her for scouting. Even though he knows about her. About us I mean. But I get him- We’re out of divers and she just so happens to finish her research so she has time to spare to help us scout for more artifacts.”

“Fate.” Booker chuckled softly as he shakes his head.

“Shut the fuck up.” Andy grumbled at first but Bookers laugh was quite contagious so she allows a smile on her lips.

“Well whatever happens you just take it easy Andy. Remember what you told me? A breath at a time.”

“A breath at a time.” Andy nods.

Booker looks up at the clock and realizes opening time was coming in shortly. “Hey listen, I gotta go now. But you keep me updated, okay. I’m here for you. I promise.”

“I know, Book.” Andy replied softly. “Thanks.”

Booker smiled. “Talk to you later then.”

“Bye.” Andy ends the call after Booker’s curt “Bye” and she sighed, slipping her phone back in her pocket. She took a deep breath in and murmurs Booker’s reminder to her in a whisper. When she cleared her doubtful mind and calmed her nerves, she heads out to join the team in the living room.

“You’re still up.” She pats Nicky’s shoulder gently.

“Aah- Quynh made some tea. It’s rude if I-”

Andy chuckled. “I’m just looking out. That’s all.” She glances up at Copley. “Your rooms are ready by the way. You can take whichever.” She nods towards the hall.

“Oh you didn’t have to, Andy.” Copley seemed visibly touched by Andy’s hospitality.

Andy swats a hand out as if to say, “don’t worry about it” as she smiles. “Why don’t we all get some rest now. Copley you need to go with Hector and pick up the historian tomorrow. From Paris, remember.”

“Jones.” Copley realized with a clap of his hands. “I completely forgot about about him.” He gets up and picks up his empty tea cup to return it in the sink before Quynh immediately rose an offering hand.

“I’ll take that, James. Don’t worry about it.”

“Oh- No no. Please Quynh. You made the tea for me. The least I can do is wash.”

When Quynh insists stubbornly with a kind smile, Copley gave in and allowed her to take it for him. Quynh glances at Nicky who was unresponsive before Andy gave him a hard nudge, waking him in a bit of a jump up from his open-eyed doze and he lets Quynh take the half empty tea cup from his exhausted hands.

The two men found their way into two room. Copley lights his room up and starts to settle down, taking his things out of his pack while Nicky trudges into the darkness and thankfully fell right on top of a cushion rather than met the cold hard floor.

Quynh runs the water, snapping Andy back into her dreadful reality. She glances at her in the kitchen and stomps her way to her.

“What is this shit?” She demanded.

“What are you talking about?”

“What are you doing?”

“Washing the dishes?”

“No- No.” Andy grumbled. “You know what I mean.”

Quynh puts the cups to dry on the rack before turning to her, eyes thin and narrow. Piercing into Andy’s fragile soul.

“I’m not here for you, Andy.” Quynh declares. Loud and clear for Andy to register in. “I just... There’s something I need to do here. And I’m trying to figure that out.”

“What do you mean.”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Quynh shakes her head, providing no more clarification as she wiped her hands on a towel and starts to head out the kitchen.

“Well at least give an explanation.” Andy demands. “Don’t you think I deserve one after you show up like this after 5 years? We agreed..."

Quynh stops in her tracks.

"We agreed never to meet again." Andy continues with a defeated sigh.

Quynh rubbed her tongue on the inner parts of her cheek. She turned to Andy and studied her for a moment as if trying to find the little changes that time had spent on her.

“Funny what a little faith can do.” She shrugs before she leaves. Andy called for her for a few more times before she knew that Quynh was off to reclaim her damn purple mattress and was not striding back out for the rest of the night.

Exhausted from the travel and the situation shoved in her face, Andy rummaged in the counter until she found what she was looking for. A bottle of old scotch. God- Booker’s habit finally got to her.

She opens the old drink and downs it’s strong flavor without a grimace. Andy was tired. She was tired physically, mentally and spiritually. She just wanted to rest for once. Truly.

After a few more downing of Scotch she finally had her fill for the time being and decided to save some for the future. Oh Andy knew she needed a hell lot more for the days to come. She made a quick note to run to the store to grab a couple more bottles the next day.

But for tonight- she was going to rest. She was going to sleep. Her emotions and mental distress can be dealt with later. _If ever_. Not that it bothered her. _It did._

But she won’t admit it.

Because Andy didn’t have a moment to spare on emotions. _She does._ But she’d rather not. Memories hunts her. Memories of Quynh. Memories of her trauma. _Memories of her past._

Andy picks up her bags and opens the door in to the last room in the hall. No way was she sleeping with Quynh, even though that was her own room. She can have all the comfort of the king and queens with that darn purple mattress of hers.

Yes. Tonight, Andy will rest. Cold and alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> quynh is boujee yes.
> 
> comment your thoughts and feedbacks thanks ashdafhkghfdgh


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Greek mystery brings Professor Joe and his star pupil Nile out of the comforts of their university in Paris and into the hot summer beaches of Greece. There they'll reunite with one old acquaintance of Joe's. 
> 
> Or perhaps- unbeknownst to Joe himself, he would be seeing more than one old face there.

Joe steps into the Greek morning with a yawn and stretch. The flight wasn’t too long from Paris but damn did he ache.

“Jones!”

Upon the call of his name, he scanned the area before he found the caller. “Copley.” He greets with a wide grin.

Copley jogs up to him to and he welcomed the art historian with a close handshake and a quick hug. “It’s been a while.”

“Yeah yeah I know.” Joe chuckles as he pats the older professor’s back firmly.

“You look like you haven’t aged a day.” Copley compliments after a quick look at him.

Joe laughs. “Are you kidding me? You’re the one here looking all young in your-- forties was it?”

“Forty-five.”

“Exactly.” Joe chuckles with a nudge on Copley’s arm.

The terminal doors opens again and Joe turned to the young women that emerged out. “Nile.” He exclaims gently, raising a hand to motion her to come. “Nile, I want you to meet my old friend Copley. Professor James Copley.” Joe corrects himself.

Nile comes up to them with a tight polite smile as she greets the older man with a handshake. “I’m Nile. Nile Freeman.”

“Pleasure to meet you. Are you perhaps Jones star pupil?”

“Oh- I wouldn’t call myself-”

“Of course she is.” Joe interjects playfully. “Come on. You know I only bring with me my most talented apprentices.”

Copley nodded and motions a finger as if to say “hear that?” and chuckles to Nile. “That he does.”

Nile grins a thanks and Copley herds them int Hector’s old jeep. As they drove to the site Nile sits by the window and allows herself to freely surrender into the beauty of the Greek coast.

Her phone buzzed in her hands and she check it to find a message from her mother. Nile sighs and she patiently reads the text before carefully replying with thought out words. It was a sensitive time for her family. _And herself._ And she wants to make sure that she doesn’t shatter the breaking fragility further.

The jeep jolts to a stop at the site and they all get out to inspect the site. The cranes were up and the trucks were nearby. It wasn’t the biggest digging site nor the most exciting of findings, at least to Nile. But still it was a _distraction_ , something she desperately needed more than ever now.

“Nile?”

She looks up to Jones.

“Hey.. Are you alright?”

Nile nodded and clears her throat. “Yeah sorry. Um- So.” She forces a genuine smile on her face as she held her hand out to the site. “What exactly are we fishing for again?”

“Well that’s why I’m here.”

They both turn to see Andy behind them, a rather large summer hat perched over her head and a pair of sunglasses rest on the bridge of her nose.

Andy pulls her shades down, revealing a set of soft grey eyes. “Dr. Andy Baker. I’m the archaeologists with Copley.” She extends a hand.

Nile accepts and shakes her hand. “Nile Freeman. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Indeed.”

Andy turned to Joe who accepts her formal handshake as well. “Professor Joseph Jones. But Joe always works.”

“Joe.” Andy echoed as she held on his hand for a moment. The two blinked into each other’s eyes.

_There’s something about her._

_There’s something about him._

“Ah so you finally meet Jones.” Copley came around, breaking their haunting thoughts.

Joe steps back, returning to Nile’s side as Copley positioned himself by Andy. “He’s the art historian I told you about.” Copley continued to mention. “The only one who recognized that seal on the lock image.”

“Oh?”

“You said it was the crest of some ancient family right?”

Joe nods as he takes out his ipad from his backpack. “I could barely make it out but-” He picks an image and enlarges it before giving it to the two archaeologists. “Thank god we have technology these days and Nile’s quite the digital artist herself, so she was able to scan it beyond the rust build up and draw out the original outlines.”

Andy looks at the digital art piece of the crest. It was a circle with a simple design on it. Some form of a labrys she knew. _She just knew._ Somehow.

“We were able to confirm that as the crest of House Sypha. Nile and I are actually working on a research of a historical art piece linked to the very same House. So when you sent me that image of the lock, Copley. I knew I had to get myself down here to check it out.”

“Knowing you, of course you did.” Copley chuckles before he tilts his head a bit. “Sypha did you say?”

“They’re not the most famous or powerful of the Greek family but they are among the oldest and noblest.”

Andy glance up at the two, handing Copley the ipad for a better look of the piece of artifact’s reformation.

“Who were they?” She asked.

“Descendants of the last Scythian king, Palacus.” Nile speaks. “May I?” She asked Copley politely for the device.

Copley hands it back to her and she moves to the next picture of an old painting of a women. Refined and elegant. She sat before a vine of red roses and on her lap rests a black labrys, identical to the crest on the lock of the drowned artifact.

Copley takes the offered ipad back and inspects the ancient beauty. “Who is she?”

“She’s Andromache, the last Scythian.”

Andy blinks as Nile spoke the name and peered into the painting. The Greek women stared back with her painted eyes, creeping into Andy’s conscious like a ghost.

“What are these?”

Joe peers in to look what Copley was referring to. A couple of words written on the far right edge of the painting. “Oh that. We haven’t figured that out. I’ve asked many linguistics and paleographers regarding the text but apparently it’s a lost dialect. Italian. I can confirm that at least.”

”Italian on a Greek painting?”

”Wait ‘till you hear who actually painted it.”

Copley scoffs in disbelief and turns to Andy. “What do you think, Andy?”

Andy tilts her head in response, trying to gain focus in her clustered mind. Copley hands her the pad. “You think Nicky can do anything with this?”

Andy takes the ipad from Copley to give some effort on the job. She studies it. Inspects the old language. And trying to keep the voices at bay.

_Andromache._

It called her.

The painted eyes seem to glare into her living ones.

_Adeline._

_No._ Andy frowned at the name.

Red. Roses.

Prickling vines.

_Andromache~_

A giggle and a flash of dark hair.

_Noriko-_

“Jones, why don’t you send it to me.” Copley’s voice tears through her maddening silence, breaking the trance, as he spoke. “I might know someone.”

“Is this someone the lord savior himself or something?” Joe chuckles as he takes his ipad back as Andy offered it.

“Oh he might be for you if you’re so desperate for the translations.” Copley laughs. “I know your obsessive habits, Jones. You’d die if you can’t solve the mysteries in these arts.”

“It’s called passion, Copley.” Joe shakes his head as he sends the picture.

Copley looked at Andy who seemed fazed. “You alright?” He asks his work partner.

“Yeah yeah.” Andy nodded as she cleared her throat convincingly. She then motions her head towards Nile who had slunked away and onto the beach, watching the waves move, ever so still in her stance. “Is _she_ alright?”

Joe follows Andy’s gaze to Nile and he sighs as he stuffs his ipad back in his backpack. “Yeah. Nile.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Copley asks, truly concerned.

“Nile... Is going through some stuff.” Joe confessed. “She just got out of the army so I’m pretty sure she’s still dealing with a lot of stuff from there and to top it off, there was a recent death in her family.”

“And you brought her here?” Andy glances at him in shock and disbelief.

“She said she needed the distraction.” Joe sighs. “I said no at first but she wouldn’t go back home to Chicago. And I didn’t want to leave her unattended on her own in Paris for the whole summer semester. She’s a good kid. And I just wanted to help her.” He scratched the curls on the back of his neck. “Should I just have forced her to go home?”

“You think?” Copley muttered.

But Andy stays silent. She understood Nile’s need for distraction. Death was a hard thing to cope. Nile must be going through so many emotions. And knew very little how to respond to them. Andy firmly believes that at least.

“Hey-” She spoke up. “Since we’re all working together in this, why don’t you and Nile bunk with us. I got a place in Cythera where we’re staying. Rent-free.” She sales.

“No shit? Really.” Joe chuckles in awe.

“Yeah yeah. We got a spare room.” Andy lied. _Well she didn’t_. She _does_ have a spare room. Nile could sleep in the room that she used the other night. Andy would just need to get out though. And there would be the spare bedroom. And Joe... Joe could bunk with Copley. But knowing Copley and his snoring tendencies and also the measure of his smaller room, bunking with Nicky was the best option. Quiet Nicky. He wouldn’t mind a roomate would he? Especially one as handsome as Joe.

“Oh look!”

Andy snaps out of her race of thoughts and glances over at Copley’s excited point. From out the water emerged two things.

One was being pulled by a crane. The artifact. An old rusted- box? No- Or well perhaps. It looked more accurately like a chest.

And the other was a diver, carefully securing the ancient chest out the water. Quynh swims to shore and pulls her mask and gears down.

Nile who has settle down on the sand, head rested on her knees, felt a shadow loom over her, blocking the sun. She looks up in response.

Quynh stands before her and tilts her head at the young women before her. An unexpected sight but truly at this point she knows well to expect all the unexpected. She reaches out and offers a friendly hand. “Hey kid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> joe and nicky will meet in the next chapter!!
> 
> how do you think that's about to go down?!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two strangers meet. Joseph Jones and Nicholas Smith.
> 
> But are they truly that? Or is there perhaps more, some kinda truth, beneath what both Joe and Nicky don't know? Something forgotten. Old. And ancient.

They arrive in Dr. Andy Baker’s place, a big 17th century Greek house. Ancient. With a few rocky walls showing from beneath the foliage of wild vines. It sat upon a hill, overlooking the shores of Cythera as well as the mainland in the distance. The house was hidden among untamed forestry, with only it’s tall dark roof protruding out from the brushes. Any who passes could obviously tell it hadn’t been lived in and cared for in a while.

“Steady. Steady.” Copley repeated as he, Joe, Andy and a crew of men haul the ancient chest up the steps into the house and settles it gently in the center of the spacious study. A rather big one at that.

The room was dimly lit in the evening darkness but as Nile steps in after them, she could see the many windows on the high ceiling room as well as doors that should lead out. The floor was mainly clean with shelves littered with dusty old books and when the wall appears from between shelving, there was always some old antiques on display.

Copley would lead the crew out while thanking them for their help and work. Quynh closes the door behind him though not locking it. She flashes the curious Nile a smile as she heads across to the other side of the house.

“Hey.”

Nile jumps a little and whirls around to see Andy backing away to give her some space. “Sorry-” Nile gasped a bit.

“Hey no- I’m sorry. I should’ve gave you a warning or something.” Andy apologized. “I just wanted to show you uhh- your room.”

“Oh- Yeah. Yeah of course.”

Nile takes her luggages in which Andy comes and insists she helps her with it despite the younger women’s tired resistance. Andy leads her down the hall and shows her the set of bathrooms available before opening the door across to a room.

Andy switches the lights on. “Alright. Here we go.” She pulls Nile’s stuff in before she noticed her unpacked bags from the night before. “Oops. Forgot to take this out.”

“Wait... If you were sleeping here and you’re giving this room to me then...”

“Oh don’t worry. I’ve got the master bedroom. It was uh- kinda drafty up there yesterday. Need to fix some windows.” She chuckles before moving out of Nile’s way.

“Well you just rest.” Andy offers. “I’ll call you- Or Quynh will- whenever she finishes cooking.”

When Nile responded with a lost face at the name, Andy mentions her as the marine biologist and Nile nodded, remembering how she headed to the other side of the house earlier.

“Also Jones might be bunking in the next room so if you need anything at all- Or if you need me, catch me in the study. I’m usually there 99% of the time.”

“Thank you.” Nile smiles, appreciating Andy’s pretentious care. Andy returns her smile with another before she closes the door after her, dragging her pack out.

And that was the moment when she realized she hadn't thought this through.

“Shit.” She grumbled. She knocked on the next door to Nicky’s room and when he didn’t answer, she poked her head in to find the room quiet. But she noticed the subtle sound of running water and the light from the bathroom provided with his room and so she closed the door with a sigh.

Andy drags her stuff up the hall and staircase before she was met with a silent Quynh on the last step.

They gazed into each other’s eyes, well aware where everything would lead them.

“Listen Quynh-”

“Save it for later. My pot needs my attention.” Quynh muttered, cutting Andy midsentance before she steps down pass her without another word.

Andy cursed under her breath and drags her luggages up and into the master bedroom. She found it in the typical state of Quynh’s ideal bedroom. Clean, neat with only the bed disheveled. Andy never understood why she never made her bed. And that was the one thing that Andy always made sure she did even if everything else in the room was a mess.

_Maybe that’s why we’re never compatible enough to last..._

Putting her stuff besides the sitting nook, she grabs a pillow and tosses it on the single couch that settled across the bed, upon the wall. She puts her backpack down before she heads back out and hurriedly goes down the stairs. She heads to the study and stops in her tracks at the sight of Joe intently observing the paintings displayed on the study walls.

“Jones. There you are.” She huffed out a bit. Joe glances at her and she motions him to follow her. “So don’t tell him this, but Copley’s honestly a snorer and I’m gonna spare you from that torture, so I hope you don’t mind bunking with someone else.”

“Nope. Nope.” Joe chuckles, following after her. “I’ve slept in worse places.”

“Well I can’t offer much-” Andy stops at a door and opens it, peering to see that Nicky was not around, perhaps still in the shower. “But I hope this is better than those places?” 

She moves so Joe could pull himself and his stuff in. As Joe enters, the first thing he noticed was the pile of books and scatter of documents on the table.

“Busy body?” He glances at Andy with a laugh.

“Nicky- tends to overwork himself.” Andy nods. “He may leave the light on until late at night but I promise he doesn’t make a peep.”

Joe shakes a friendly hand to her. “Don’t worry. I’m thankful enough for you to invite us in.”

Andy smiles at him. “Ah right- Nile’s in the next room. I told her you’ll be staying here so if she needs anything.”

“That’s wonderful. Thank you, Andy.”

Andy’s ears flickers at her own name. _Andy._ It was her name. Yet when he speaks it... it sounds so foreign despite his correct pronunciations and all. It didn’t sound.. like her- as herself.

Andy caught herself fazing and she clears her mind and flashes Joe a smile. “I see you got a lot to unpack, so make yourself comfortable. And uhh- I’ll send Nile over whenever dinner’s ready.”

“Sounds good.” Joe nodded and Andy closes the door behind her.

Joe sighs out a bit as he dropped his backpack from his shoulders and on the ground. He noticed the sound of the shower from the bathroom came to a stop as he gazes down at the scattered work of his new roommate. He peers down and takes a closer look, picking up a written piece of paper, ripped out from a notebook.

His eyes widened in shock as he realized the words were familiar. They were the same words from the text in the Greek painting. The one of Andromache, the last Scythian.

But what blew his brains out the roof was the English translation below the ancient phrase. A perfect, accurate- and eerily familiar translation. In a mix of awe and shock, he overlooked the budding familiarity he found among the words.

As if he’s heard, seen or spoken it before.

_No crown. No sword. No words. No war. Not the moon. Nor the sun. Just us. Just I, you. Until the end._

The bathroom door creaks open and the annoying hum of ventilation turns off with the light. Nicky comes out, towel wrapped around his waist and a toothbrush sticking out from his bubbling mouth.

He freezes in his steps when he looks up from the ground to a foreign pair of legs, a body, a set of fit arms and- _Jesus..._

Joe returned the rather surprised stare back to this handsome, blue eyed man that would be clearly butt naked if not for the towel on his hips. His hair was dark and wet and _oh god-_ Joe finally realizes the sheer attraction of the godly pool look. This guy was born to pull off that look. Joe just knew it. And it wasn’t his attention at first but he catches a glimpse of a set of toned abs at the corner of his eyes. _Eyes. Damn those blue eyes._ That’s what truly brought Joe in.

Eyes so bright and blue even in the dim, yellow lighting. Eyes so familiar yet so foreign. He knew those eyes... and yet he didn’t.

“ _Ciao._ ” Joe managed to blurt out after a moment of impending silence. “I’m Joe.”

“Ni-” Nicky attempted to speak but his name came out as a gargle of toothpaste from his mouth. He quickly held a hand up and bolted into the bathroom before realizing his fresh set of clothes were still on the edge of the bed where he had left them earlier. He runs out and snatches his clothes before huddling back inside the bathroom.

Joe cracks into a chuckle, finding the stranger’s quirky character amusing.

Nicky pops back out in a flash, clothing his smooth, pale body in a white Tee and a pair of shorts, much to Joe's disappointment if he had to be honest. He stumbled out rather nervously, pushing the door open with a rather sickening bang.

Joe was caught off guard by the sudden sound and knocked a stack of books from the table. He cursed under his breath and picks the books up, balancing them steadily in his arms.

Nicky managed to pick up two of his books before Joe got the last one. He holds a hand out in an offer to take them and return them to the safety of the table and Nicky obliges, handing them over.

“Paleographer?” Joe asks, catching the title of the last book as he sets it down on the scattered desk.

“Yeah. Among other things...” Nicky nodded, wiping his hands nervously on his hips.

“So then.. It was you who translated-” Joe points back at the sheet of paper with Nicky’s handwriting on it.

“Oh- That. Yeah. The uh... The poem- Wait sorry- who are you again?”

Joe realized that they had skipped introduction completely. There was just something about the guy was so awfully familiar. As if he had known him forever. He could even feel a name at the tip of his tongue. But then it was gone. And then Joe remember he had never meet this guy. He was a stranger.

But damn, he knew his gaydar was never accurate but this guy.. _Could he be? Ya know?_

 _Italian._ That at least he knew.

Joe extends a hand out with a genuine and gentle smile that Nicky could only describe _as shining as the sun_. “I’m Professor Joseph Jones. Friends call me Joe.”

“Oh-” Nicky catches his breath and lifts his hands to take Joe’s. “I’m Nicky. Nicholas Smith.” 

Fingers clasp onto the edges of palms. Skin against skin. Heat and warmth touch. Meeting. _But this- wasn’t the first time._

_A storming flash of steel._

_Anger. Hate. Passion._

_Love.  
_

A combination of a fever memory and emotion mixed into a sickening burst, manifesting into the two men in a half second of breath.

_"DESTATI! WAKE UP!"_

Joe and Nicky gasped back from the eerie daze, stepping away from each other. Joe finds support on the desk, holding himself up with his hands upon it. Nicky trips back into the wall, struggling to catch his breath.

The two shocked men looked up at each other. A sudden recognition of each other slithers through their eyes. Joe wasn't truly Joe. And Nicky wasn't Nicky either. _I know you. You are-_ But with an aghast blink, it disappears with all the memories, leaving the two in fear of their strange experience.

Joe stares at Nicky, mentally disturbed. _What the fuck was-_

A knock comes on their door. “Professor Joe?”

“Nile? Nile, that you-” Joe breathes out, edging his way to the bed, pressing himself as far as he could from Nicky.

Nile opens the door slowly and pokes her head in. “I’m not bothering anything am-” She sees Nicky and politely nods a hello.

“Nope- Nope. Not at all, kid. Wassup?”

“Dr. Nguyen- uh- Quynh. She wanted me to tell you that dinner’s ready- Sir are you ok?” Nile asks as she noticed the two men fearfully looking at each other as Joe moves slowly across, keeping his eyes on Nicky before he gallops to Nile at the door.

“Can’t be better, Nile.” He quips, in an attempt to convince his words true, as he opens the door wide and walks out stiffly in a rush.

Nile eyes her teacher for a moment before she hears a huff at her side. She looks to her right to see Andy pulling a spare mattress.

“Ah Nile. You met Nicky yet?”

Nile looked over at Nicky who still had a traumatized look on his face. Nicky clears his throat and peels himself off the wall and raises a nervous hand to wave at her, not attempting to come close to another stranger after what he had just gone through.

“Nicholas Smith.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i imagine modern nicky to be a quiet and intelligent guy with a pair of reading glasses and his beautiful nose stuck into some book while joe's kinda like- got smears of paint on all his clothes, lowkey rich and loaded, curls everywhere like gosh their so cute;;;


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strangers. Friends. Family?
> 
> Joe, Nicky, Andy, Quynh, Nile and Copley enjoy a dinner despite a sinister force haunting both Joe and Nicky 's mind and Andy meets conflict in facing Quynh.

Quynh notices the angry, approaching footsteps. She also knew all too well that it belonged to her ex. They’ve gone through too many fights for her not to memorize the sound of Andy’s rage.

“Could you take the salad to the table, Andy.” It wasn’t a question.

Quynh picks up the pot of pasta and turns to head to the dining table when Andy stops in front of her with a sigh. She placed her hands on her hips and looked down on the floor defeated.

“How much longer are you staying here?”

“Until Copley’s satisfied.” Quynh shrugs.

“Don’t give me that bullshit. Why are you really here? You never do charity. I know you Quynh.”

Andy hisses her last statement firmly as she peers into Quynh’s eyes. Lovely soft, plum dark eyes. And she knew when she felt herself falling deep in them that she’s made a mistake once more. It’s always those darn eyes. Those soft lips-

 _No._ Andy was done making mistakes. She was well over forty now. She knows self control. She knows the pattern of life. Of love. _Of loving Quynh._

“People aren’t open books, Andy. They’re not artifacts that you can study and conclude.” Quynh shoots back at her. “Maybe I’ve changed. And for no one but myself.”

She pushes Andy aside. “Don’t forget the salad.” She reminds.

Andy curses as she rubs her head, in disbelief that they would be spending a few night in the same room. And when everything was running perfectly. Heck she even started going out on blind dates. Healing. Growing her wings. Wings that Quynh always found ways to chain and cut off.

But Andy can’t blame her. She was just as venomous to Quynh. Andy remembers.

With a sigh, she takes the stupid salad and comes out to the dining table, a soft smile on her face as she sees everyone huddling around the big table, chattering and starting to eat. When was the last time the table was filled like that? Andy can’t recall. Even the cobwebs on the ceiling had forgotten the sound of... family.

Andy sets the salad at the table and sits by Nile, pulling her own cardigan closer to her body at the shiver of the cool Greek night. Nile gives her a tiny smile and Andy rubs her back warmly.

Joe and Copley were chatting, catching up on old times while Nicky silently watched with his piercing eyes as he stabs his food in a daze. Joe could feel his stare and struggled to ignore it despite the pressure on him. Copley was taking his plate of pasta and offers Joe some when Nicky speaks up.

“That has bacon in it...”

They all turned to Nicky, at his sudden and random words.

Nicky motions his head to the pasta dish. “It has pork... in it.” He blinks at Joe blankly. He then realized what he had just said. Suddenly- No somehow- he just knew that this stranger can’t eat pork.

Copley then remembers. “That’s right. You don’t eat pork right, Joe?”

Joe shakes his head. “No yeah. Thanks I-” He looks up at Nicky who drew his eyes away from Joe’s dark ones. “I hadn’t noticed there was some..”

“Is that salad, Andy?” Copley asks.

“Um- Yeah it is.” Andy lifts the salad bowl to Copley who takes it and hands it to Joe.

Joe takes it and thanks Copley politely and takes his fill of potato salad on his plate. No question arose. No remarks. Just the respect of his personal privacy.

“So.” Andy spoke after a bit. She looks at Nile with a motherly set of eyes. “Where are you from, Nile? If you don’t mind me asking that is..”

Nile shakes her head with a tight smile. “Chicago. Born and raised.”

“Wow.” Andy nods as she eats.

“I was in Georgetown.” Nile continued, feeling that she should to not kill the conversation. “I’m taking both Modern and Ancient Arts. This summer I applied for a semester in Paris. That’s where I met Professor Joe.”

“And where are you from, Joe?” Andy attempts another shot in a conversation.

“I’m originally from Cairo. But I moved to London when I was- too young to remember.” He chuckles.

“I knew I caught an accent.” Quynh mentions.

“Yeah. Not the sharpest though, am I right?”

Quynh shakes her head. “Could’ve missed it if I hadn’t listened. You nearly sound American.”

“And yourself uhhh-”

“Quynh.” She introduced immediately. “Should’ve started with names shouldn’t we?”

Copley clears his throat. “You’re right. Let’s all introduce ourselves. I’m James Copley. But no one seems to call me James for some reason.”

“James just makes you sound old.” Joe pokes in.

“I am old!”

“Oh Copley.” Andy scoffs. “Every one seems to be wanting to be young forever and here you are.. demanding age.”

“Copley sounds cooler, not gonna lie.” Nile offers softly.

“It does.” Copley nodded, repeating his own name in his mind.

“Are we going in a circle? Clockwise or-” Joe asks, setting his spoon down and clearing he throat.

Copley lightly smacks Joe’s shoulder. “Go on, mate.” He laughs.

“A pleasure to meet you all. I’m Joseph Jones. I’m currently a Professor of Ancient and Historic Arts in Paris.”

“One of the best in his field.” Copley compliments in which Joe tried to humble himself but Copley didn’t give him a chance for the nonsense and turns to Nile across the table.

“Your turn, miss.”

“Nile Freeman...” Nile awkwardly spoke up. “I uh- I’m 28. A little older than most of the kids at school but never too old for life.”

Quynh claps her hand loudly, agreeing with Nile’s statement. “Exactly.”

Joe echos her. “Exactly.”

Nile smiles a thanks for the support before Andy settles to speak.

“My turn eyy? Well. I’m Andy Baker from Boston. My mom is from here. Greece. And this was um- My grandparent’s place. I spent many summers here.” _I think?_

“Andy here graduated from Harvard.”

“Oh?” Joe lifts a confused brow.

“Yup. I entered for law and left with a PhD for Archaeology and Anthropology.”

“Call it a U-turn.” Copley laughs. “We all did.”

Nicky chuckles and Andy turns to him. “Your turn, Nicholas.” She teases with his full name.

Nicky caught a hiccup in his throat. He hated speaking. Especially to groups. Why else would a prodigy like him choose to do research rather than take the mantle of a Professor? He sighs as he notice everyone’s gaze at him. Including Joe’s.

“I’m Nicky. I’m from Italy.”

“Nicky- I think everyone knows you’re Italian at this point.” Quynh laughs as she looks down at his plate of pasta.

“Easy with the streo, ma’am.” Joe jokes as he leans back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest.

Nicky steals a glance at him. As Joe stretches his shoulders in his position, Nicky could definitely see the monstrous biceps from his tightened shirt.

“Is that all?” Quynh peers. “Should I go n-”

“Hey hey- Easy, Quynh.” Andy shakes her head, lifting a hand up at her to calm down. “Nicky- You wanna tell us what you do.. or who you are?”

Nicky pauses for a moment to think. “I’m a Paleographer. I also have a degree in Philology and Linguistics.”

“How many languages do you know?”

Nicky glances at Nile and tries to recall the languages that he was able to speak. “Aside from Italian and English, I can speak Greek, Spanish, German, bits of Arabic, some Dutch.” He ends with a rather proud nod.

“And old Genoese?”

Nicky lifts his eyes at Joe, tightening his jaws a bit. The sudden mention of the language pricks his skin and soul.

Andy notices the subtle blaze flaring out from the two men’s eyes. She smacks the table hard, breaking their tension and catching their attention as well as the others. 

“That’s it. I knew we were missing something.” She snaps her fingers. “A good old bottle of scotch, that’s what.” She raises from her seat and runs back over to the kitchen.

Nicky clears his throat and nods at Quynh. “Spotlights all yours, Q.”

Quynh claps her hands once as she smiles sweetly. “Much thanks, Sir Nicky.” She says sarcastically.

Nicky freezes, his fork stabbing through his pasta bowl midway. _Sir Nicky?-_

_“N... colo-”_

_“Sire!”_

“I am Dr. Quynh Nguyen.” Quynh begins, snapping through Nicky’s thoughts. He lets out a heavy sigh and goes back to his dinner. “I’m a Marine biologist from Florida, specialized in deep sea research.”

Joe watches Nicky closely. Observing him as if he was one of the many paintings he had analyzed through his years as an art historian. He did have a rather vintage look. An old 1800s vibe on that beautifully sculpted face of his.

“Have you swam with whales?” Nile asks Quynh.

“Have I? Sweetie you’re not a true diver until you’ve swim with whales.”

Nile’s eyes brightens up and Quynh notices the sudden interest and she leans her chin on the palm of her hand. “Let me tell you about this one time...”

Nile listens as Quynh tells her tale. Copley chuckles, amused by it as he listens to her story. Joe listens as well. But he didn’t hear a single word that Quynh utters. He was transfixed by thoughts of the strange Italian that sat across the table. _Who was he? Who is he?_

_What is he???_

Is it possible that he be one of those jinns that his mother always told him about?? He had been skipping a few prayers in the last few months. She used to tell him they could bother and mess with a weak believer. Damn was he slacking in his faith again? His mom would be disappointed.

There was a deep struggle that Joe faced with the relations of his faith. He grew up on the rough street of London, an immigrant, with his mom teaching him her Islamic religion. As if that wasn’t enough to bear, his British stepdad wasn’t Muslim which caused much conflict in Joe’s mind in his early days.

But when he got older, and life truly showed it’s true unforgiving cruel nature to him, he found himself lost. Alone in the darkness. But rough times had lead him to find his solace to his Lord. His peace.

And that was honestly enough for Joe. Just enough.

Andy stumbles back into the dining room with a bunch of glass and mugs hanging from one of her thin fingers while her other hand gripped around a bottle of Scotch. Nicky sees her struggle and immediately and responsibly gets up to support the glasses from her overflowing hands.

“Andy, you should be careful.” He scolds her gently.

Andy waves a hand at him as if to say “no worries” as she settles back into her seat and pops open the scotch.

Nicky notices the six mismatched cups that Andy had brought. _That’s one cup a bit much.._ He realizes and looks up at Joe who was cleaning his bowl. _Joe doesn’t-_

“Oh I don’t drink, Andy.” Joe informs as Andy starts to pour out the Scotch. Andy looks up at him, apologetically for assuming. “I quit years ago.” Joe chuckles.

There was no lie in that. It’s true. He used to drink. But he decided to sober up when he tried to come into terms with his beliefs.

“Sorry Joe.” Andy apologizes.

“No worries. It’s about time I get some sleep anyways. You all don’t mind if I excuse myself first.”

“No, No.” Copley pats Joe’s back as he gets up and picks his plate up. “Ey. Don’t worry about this, mate.” Copley pulls the plate back down. “Go get some rest, Joe. You must be exhausted.”

Joe chuckles and shrugs. “Well if you insists. Nile. I’m going first.”

Nile nods and Joe makes sure she was alright with being left alone with the strangers before he leaves, disappearing into the darkness of the halls.

Nicky drops his watchful gaze from Joe and leans back on his chair, feeling a bit more laxed. He felt as if finally his dinner finally was able to go down after all that pressure. Pressure he probably made up in his own head from his thoughts. _Probably..._

_But there’s just something about him..._

Nicky lowers his gaze to the table in concentration. _I’m absolutely positive I’ve seen him. Where have I seen him before?_ He tries to make sense of his confusion before ultimately giving up with a sigh.

“You drink, Nile?” Andy asks, just to make sure as she hands over a mug of scotch to Nicky who seemed like he was in much need of it.

Nile nods and takes Andy’s offer of scotch.

“Professor Joe usually needs a bit of time to uh- settle down.” Nile speaks after a sip of Scotch. “I hope ya’ll don’t feel uncomfortable with his.. preferences.”

“Are you kidding me?” Quynh chuckles lightly. “No worries Nile. We don’t accept judgment in this house. Right Andy?”

“Yup. Yup.” Andy swallows a cough, unexpected of Quynh’s call out. She clears her throat. “Yeah no, my grandparents and my mom never appreciates judgments in the house.”

“Besides.” Nicky speaks up, low and quiet. He sets his cup down and faces them with calmness as they all turn to him. “It’s his personal matter. And we respect that. As he is. As himself.”

Nile nods, agreeing to Nicky’s words. She felt relived by their acceptance of him. She had seen Joe faced so many discrimination from something as simple as ignorance to full on vile actions. As if the prejudiced of Joe being gay wasn’t enough, he had to also face the society’s hate of him as a Muslim, the one thing that Nile noticed brought peace and stability to him.

Joe deserved better. Far better. And she wasn’t sure if it was an exchange of heart eyes between Joe and this new guy, Nicky, or if it was just deadly lasers of dislike.

She couldn't tell and it was killing her. The last thing she wants to see is sweet ole Joe getting hurt again.

Under only the moonlight peering from the window, Joe’s hands trembled as he held on the pencil. Led scratched the surface of his sketchpad. He was breathing unevenly as if he was out of breath. But he hadn’t run. Or done anything to exhaust himself in the last ten minutes.

Joe finishes his feverish sketching with a final dash. He exhales in a huff, drained out. He inspects his drawing carefully. He rubbed his forehead, awed at what came to be on the paper.

He could make out some mounds in the landscape. Dunes maybe. There was a the silhouette of a building. A wall is also a possibility. A tall towering one. Though his dark led was only able to draw in one color, Joe could recognize the details of blood and the hot blue skies.

Blue skies. Blue eyes.

There were two men in his drawing. Both faces dark and unrecognizable by the scribble of his pencil. But one he sees, wielded a European long sword with a huge cross on his tunic, over his chest. The other was on his knees and held a broken scimitar.

_“Amr!!”_

He hears his own voice scream.

Suddenly he wasn’t in a dark room in Greece anymore.

Suddenly he was in a desert. He could feel the heat on his skin. He blinks through the blinding brightness of his sudden surrounding.

A man drops dead on his feet. Somehow he knows that the corpse’s name was Amr. _Amr-_

_“My brother! يا أخي.”_

A sudden shadow looms over a very confused and lost Joe. He turns to respond to the sudden gloom. And he was met with the steel of a sword.

His attacker looks up at him with a pair of deadly blue eyes. Merciless. Raging.

Hateful blue eyes.

Joe feels the pain of a wound but somehow it felt- numbing... He blinks at this bloodthirsty soldier with a hint of recognition in his own dark eyes that reflects the middle eastern sun.

He then calls a name out. Softly. Longing. A name he didn’t know on how exactly he came to be aware of it.

“Nicolo...”

In the dark room, Joe collapses, unconsciously, into the mattress that Andy had provided for him. His sketchpad slid off his fingers and onto the wood floor, closing the haunting sketch of the Battle of Jerusalem of 1099.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 7 teaser: Booker nearly looses his head to an axe-wielding Andy XD
> 
> truly hope you guys are enjoying this. don't forget to comment below thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy and Quynh shares complicated emotions towards one another which leads to an outburst of a quarrel.
> 
> At the same time a surprise and unexpected visitor arrives, coming out from within the darkness of the cellar. Weather his timing is right or a little undue, time will soon tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally! we got the team together folks!!  
> and now for some chaos ;)))))

It was a calm morning. The sun raises slowly from the east horizon, settling above a cluster of white clouds. The birds sings a tune from their perch on the trees. A sea breeze comes into the study from the numerous wide open doors and windows.

All was calm.

But then again they always said it would be calm before the storm.

And Andy was scared of the possibility of that unknown future. She liked things in a set of plans. She never liked surprises though she must admit she appreciated a few.

Quynh on the other hand- Well she was a dare devil. She’s one to walk toward death than go the other way. She’s a risk taker with an endless appetite for adventure. A hunger for the unknown.

Andy looks up from her documents and out from the open doors to cast her gaze to the sea. Longingly. Fearfully.

Nile’s tilts her head a bit. She lifts a hand and brushes against the rough, rust covered surface of the old box. “It’s a chest.”

Andy looks back at her, eyes blinking for a moment as she gained her concentration back. “Sorry what?”

Nile hands her the ipad and enlarges the image of an old recovered chest. “These are chests from the 11th centuries. It looks identical to this.”

“It must be directly owned by a member of House Sypha.”

They both turned to Joe who held a soft brush as he dusted the top of the chest. He knocked on it lightly and nodded. “Those are actual gold linings. You were right, Copley.”

“Are you serious?” Nile gasped in awe.

“Only the prestigious and noble could afford gold during the old times.” Copley spoke from his desk, his nose deep in the pages of his book. “House Sypha emerged at the end of the Scythian empire as King Palacus's descendants and preserved surprisingly well into the 2nd millennia into medieval Greece. It ended with the death of Andromache and the burning of the Scythian Fortress.”

“Is that why so little is known about House Sypha? Because everything burned down?” Nile asks.

“The only known remaining of the House is the painting of Andromache, the last Scythian and perhaps now... this.” Joe pats the chest, careful as his skin made contact with the rust. “That’s why it’s so precious.”

_Andromache._

_Andromache!_ The name was eerily haunting. It put Andy on edge. She felt furious. Pissed. And then great sadness.

The front door swings open and Andy looks up from the doorway of the study to see Quynh returning from her dive. Copley gets up to greet her back.

“Sorry, Cop.” Quynh says as she shakes her head, drying her hair. “I got nothing for you today again.”

"It’s alright, Quynh.” Copley assures. “You’ve been a great help. Thanks to your discovery we would be able to find more history to the end of the Last Sycthians.”

Quynh looks over at the chest that sat upon the large table in the middle of the study. Something crawls on her skins the moments she laid eyes on it. A dawning and irritating feeling that haunted her ever since the moment she found that stupid thing.

“Better luck next time?”

“No it’s alright. It's already been a few days. And I know I have held a busy lady like yourself for long enough. I want to truly thank you for this favor.”

“What? Oh no.” Quynh chuckles to Copley. “Nonsense. I’m sorry if didn’t do much for your research but you’re an old friend Copley. I’m glad to have helped.”

“And I'm glad to see you again, Quynh.” Copley smiles back at her.

“Treat me to dinner in Washington when I come around though, okay?” She extends her hand for a handshake and Copley promises her the meal with a laugh.

Quynh watches him as he walks back to the study and resume his work. Well her job here was done. She should leave. Quynh’s eyes lifts up to Andy. _Yup._ She really needs to leave. She sniffs a bit from her early morning swim and turns to head up to pack.

 _“No- riko.”_ A soft voice calls.

Quynh stops dead in her tracks. Her ears twitched.

Then multiple voice coos. _“Noriko-sama~”  
_

Quynh stiffly turns her head back, shoulders following. Some deep fear in her tells her not to but as always it’s her curiosity that will eventually kill her.

_“Princess!!!”  
_

_A scream._

_And darkness. A rush of cold._

_An echo of betrayal._

_Then nothing._

Quynh blinks blankly at the chest. Her eyes locking against it’s tawny rusted iron, scared and fascinated.

Andy feels eyes on her. She looks up curiously to see Quynh staring down the hall. Andy glares at her but when she realized that Quynh’s eyes were on the artifact and not her she mutters a silent curse. She puts her pen down and rushes to her ex in a swift stride.

“Quynh.” She hisses.

Quynh blinks to see a raging Andy stomping silently to her. Andy grabs her arms and pushes her outside with a huff.

“What are you doing?” Quynh barks to Andy, pulling her arm away from Andy’s hold and takes a step back from her.

Andy lets her go and lifts her hands up as if to surrender. “Sorry. Sorry.” She announced, sounding more annoyed than apologetic.

Quynh rolls her eyes as she rubs her shoulder. “Still need to work on that apology of yours, babe.”

Andy glares at Quynh, mercilessly. “Stop. You gotta stop that?”

“Stop what?”

“Stop fucking returning to my life.” Andy shouted in a hiss, keeping mind that other people were in the house and she didn’t want none of her personal drama evolved with her work. Especially not to the two new additions to the team.

“It’s not like I’m trying.”

Andy sighs as she rubs her eyes with a hand. “We agreed, Quynh. We agreed not to ever meet or appear in each other’s lives until we die. Forever!!”

“Then let this be our last.” Quynh tells her coldly.

Andy knew that would be for the best- but deep down she knew that wasn’t what she wanted. Deep down...

“All I ask is to let me stay for a couple more days.”

Andy narrows her eyes at her. “Why?”

“I told you. There’s something I need to do.”

Andy pushed her tongue in the inner parts of her cheeks. “And what would that be, Quynh? Ruining all that is left of my life?” Andy’s frown softens ever so slightly in a saddened twist. “As if you haven’t destroyed me enough.”

“It’s always about you, isn’t it?” Quynh mocks. “You and your work. Your feelings. Your status. All of your darn artifacts and ancient fucks. It’s always about you. Even if it was us.”

“You weren’t any better.” Andy shoots back. “You were always away. 100 feet below the ocean surface somewhere. That’s deeper than a fucking grave.”

“So it’s my fault? My work. My passion?- Wait no, sorry. I forgot. I can’t talk passion with you. You wouldn’t know the first thing about it. You only chose archaeology because your mom was on the field.”

“Don’t talk about my mother.” Andy hisses, tears about to well from her eyes. Quynh glances at her and lowers her eyes away apologetically, knowing well that she used a cheap move with the mother part.

“You never cared about me.” Andy scoffs. “So why should I? You just wanted a warm bed to return to after your swim- That was it. It was always the sea for you.”

“You already knew how much I love the sea even before we started.”

“AND I LOVE YOU.” Andy roared with an eruption of emotions. She dug in her stance on the old stones of the patio.

“I- I loved you.” She corrected for herself. To convince nobody but herself that what she spoke was the truth. Despite it being perhaps a tiny little lie.

Quynh looked up at Andy and tightens her jaws. She was silent. And even when Andy looks into her eyes, they were blank. Not confused. Not emotional like her own. Just- blank.

“Andy..”

“Just leave.” Andy begs with a flat breath. “Please.”

Quynh sighs as she looks down at the ground. “Alright. I will. I promise..”

Andy senses a “but” and shuts her eyes and awaits for it.

“But the chest.” Andy opens her eyes and lifts a confused brow at Quynh. “I need to know what it is. What’s in it.”

“What makes you think there’s something in it?”

Quynh shakes her head. “I don’t know. I’m not sure... But Andy- It called for me. The first time when I found it.. And even now. I- I don’t know. Call me crazy but-”

“Yes. You fucking are.”

“I just need to know what’s in there.” Quynh emphasized. “And then I’ll leave.” She paused. “And I promise you won’t ever see me again.”

Before Andy could reply, something bangs right in the corner of the house.

“What was that?” Quynh asks, wide eyed as she leaned a little, eyeing the corner of the old villa.

"Quynh get back here-" Andy hisses before she looks towards the direction where the sound came from. Her eyes searched on the ground as she remembered. “Stay here.” She orders Quynh as she goes towards the sound, pulling an ax from the stump in the yard.

“Andy!” Quynh hisses worriedly and goes after her.

Andy goes to the corner and peeks in to find the cellar door at the side of the house fully open. She breathes to prepare herself and ducks back in the corner.

“What is it?” Quynh asks.

“Shut up.” Andy demands in a hot whisper.

She then hears a scrunch of footsteps against dried leaves and a hearty laugh. She scoots Quynh and motions her to go away but Quynh mouths the words “I’m not leaving you, are you crazy?!” before Andy shouts a battle cry and strikes blindly as she sees someone popping out the corner.

“HOLY FUCCCKK.”

Andy breaths as she manages to stab the ax into the side of the house, missing the person completely as they slipped back. Andy puffs a breath to part her hair that fell over her eyes as she peers down to the see the man at her feet.

“Book?!”

“Jesus Christ, Andy! Are you trying to kill me?” Booker snaps at her. “You could've made me drop my bottle-” He muttered, irritated.

“Holy shit- Booker.” She leaves the ax on its perch on the wall and extends a hand to help Booker up. Booker rolls his eyes and appreciates her help as he pulls himself back on his feet.

He peers at the ax and chuckles nervously. “Oh yeah. That woulda chopped my head off clean.” He looks at Andy with a joking grin. “Why’d you miss?”

Andy holds her head with a hand and tries to get her thoughts aligned. “Book- Wha- What’re you doing here? What were you doing there-”

“I~ Am here to be your drinking buddy.” He lifts his hand to show Andy a bottle of old wine. “Did you forget you got all these downstairs? Thought you needed some after seeing Q- Oh! Hey Quynh.”

“Hello Booker.” Quynh pips from behind Andy. “Nice to see you again.”

Booker blinks blankly at Andy, then and Quynh. Then back at Andy before he pieced things together. “Oh- Oh shit... Did I come in the middle of something?”

Andy groans out exasperatedly and grabs the old bottle of wine from Booker’s hand and pops the lid open before she starts to down a big gulp. She had completely forgotten about her mom’s old wine collection down there. Good thing she hadn’t brought any cheap dollar wine from the store just yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys. I hope you're enjoying my fic so far. feel free to give me feedback, suggestion or anything in the comments. ooh and don't forget to share 'TIll the End around as well. it would be much appreciated. thanks byye.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe and Nicky hustles with their strange occurrence. Both men fear the other. But at the same time- some fateful force pulls them together. 
> 
> And as curiosity takes the lead, the past begins to leak into the present.

"So you finally quit your bar tending job?!”

Andy scoffs as she drops the full bowl of fried rice in front of Booker, cutting in between Booker and Quynh’s chat. “No. I’m pretty sure he got fired.”

Booker looks up at Andy with a glow of surprise. “How did you know that?!”

“Come on Book.” Andy throws a soft punch at his shoulder. “I’ve known you since college. I’m surprised you didn’t think of it, Quynh.”

“Well I did, Andy.” She replies a little saltily. “But I was trying to go for a brighter option.”

Andy leans back on the wall and drinks her tea after a shake of her head, avoiding Quynh’s eyes.

“Alright, hey. Break it up. Not in front of my- fried rice.” Booker breaks their tension up as he digs in to his first meal of the day since his arrival from the flight.

Nile glances up at the three, focusing in on Andy and Quynh as she narrows her eyes a bit. _Those two definitely have history._

Quynh apologizes. “You’re right, Book.” She picks up her tea as she leans a bit in to the dirty blonde man. “But I’m glad you’re finally out of there. Honestly Book- Bars and clubs are too toxic for you.”

“Toxic? Come on, Q. I survived the Special force didn’t I?”

Nile perks up at the mention of his part in a military force and she looks over to Quynh who raises her brow awkwardly as if trying to disagree with him but keeping her mouth shut. Andy made the same face.

A face that says _“eeehhh. did you really survive tho?”_

But he seems to have all his limbs intact so he obviously survived it physically. So then.. both Andy and Quynh must be referring to his mental state.

And from Nile’s sharp observations, he didn’t seem to be the most stable individual. But really at the state where the world was... who truly is stable anymore? She sighs and her eyes falls back from the wall to Booker who locks eyes with her.

Nile nods an awkward greeting.

Booker returns it before he raises his brows at her old dogtag which was wounded around her wrist. A weird place to wear it but Booker had seen too many weird things in his life to really stress on it. That or he just ran out of fucks to give at the unusual placing.

“Army?”

Nile lifts her forearm and nods. “Afghanistan.”

Booker sighs, immediately understanding the weight of the words. “Been there long?”

“A handful of tours, yes.” Nile replies somberly.

Booker nods. Nile pokes her plate as she glances at him. “And you?”

The man chuckles and leans back in his seat. “I been around. But it’s all too long ago to remember every place.”

Nile accepts the secrecy of his answer. She understands as well. They don’t even know each other. Even their names.

Quynh sets her cup down with a sigh. “Is Nicky not gonna eat? Where the hell is Copley too?”

“Copley’s on a call.”

“Still?” Quynh looks a little shock.

“Yeah. Something came up in the university.

“And Nicky?” Booker asks as he looks around. “Haven’t seen my Italiano bro in a while. Do I need to order a Hawaiian pizza to get him out to beat the shit out of me?”

“He seriously will do that.” Quynh warns.

“He’s in the study.” Joe informs, reminding them of his existence at the end of the table. As they turned to him he responds to their gaze with a soft smile. “Would you like me to call for him?”

Quynh exhales calmly. “I swear to god, this boy never eats.” She gets up and gets a plate for Nicky.”

“Why do you think he’s skinny like that?” Booker jokes.

“Oh let him off, Book.” Andy chuckles.

Quynh fills Nicky’s plate and turns to get across the room to the study. But before she even goes aorund the table, Joe gets up. “Do you want me to get that?”

She looks at Joe. “Oh I can-”

“Here, allow me.” Joe insists as he goes to her and takes the plate gently from her hands. “I mean you two seem like good friends. You probably need to catch up. Let me handle this.”

Quynh allows him to deliver without much resistant after. Nicky usually didn’t like to be bothered while he worked and would be unresponsive sometimes. She’ll let Joe deal with all of that.

Joe leaves the dining room to the four individuals and crosses the house to the study. He peers in cautiously, taking care that his steps wouldn’t make a creak on the floor. He sees the Italian leaned deep into some book as he tried to study it’s informative pages.

Joe comes up to him only to go by unnoticed by the guy. That’s some next level focus... He looks over his broad shoulders and peers at the book below.

It seemed to be a linguistic book or something like that. But on one page, Joe could see the ripped out piece of paper with the translation of the verse from the painting of Andromache, the last Scythian.

“No crown.” Joe starts, alerting Nicky of his presence.

The startled man jumps back and quickly took a good look at Joe before he started to step away from him along the side of the table.

Joe continues the words, having memorized it. “No sword. No words. No war. Not the moon.” He pauses and tilts his head at Nicky before he resumed softly in a daze. “Nor the sun. Just us. Just I, you. Until the end.”

Nicky chuckles nervously. “What uh- How can I help you, Jones?”

“Friends call me Joe.” He replies flatly as he lifts the plate in his hands and sets it on the table for him. “Quynh wants you to eat.” Joe moves back to the near shelf and leans his back on it and folds his arms across his chest.

At the distance, Nicky forces his nerves to calm down and nodded. He reached for his chair and settled down in it as he sighed and gets a bit of food.

A couple minutes passed and when he noticed Joe still standing there, he looks up to him and blinks through his thick glasses. “Wha- What?” He tried to start before Joe cuts in bluntly.

“Have we met?”

Joe raises his eyes up to Nicky’s piercing blue ones. There was a coolness, a serenity in them. Like a calm night. With clear skies. So clear that a blind eye can witness the scatter of stars. And those blue eyes hangs high above it- as the moon.

A cold, heartless moon.

Nicky on the other hand sees only a scorching flare from Joe’s eyes. Like lasers as his gaze on Nicky remains firm and strong. Like the sun about to burn his soul right out.

But there was far more than just Joe’s glare. Something eerie. Ghostly. Nicky mutters a prayer under his breath before he closes his books and piles them up in a rushed attempt to leave.

“Yusuf.” Joe speaks up, raising his tone.

Nicky stops in his steps. His legs grew weak in the moment and a sudden rush of adrenaline swept through his mind. His memory. He suddenly felt heat on his skin. As if he was in a dry desert. Alone.

He slowly turned to Joe. Sweat threatens to leak down his chin. “What did you say?” He manages to gasp out in a breath.

“My name was Yusuf.” Joe starts, holding his gaze on Nicky. “Or well- I was born Yusuf Abe. Yusuf ibn Ibrahim.” He corrects himself. “Jones is- My step father’s surname. I took that when my mom married him. And I changed my name to Joseph in London.”

Joe noticed Nicky staring at him blankly. With troubled eyes. He sighs in disbelief on how slow the guy was. “I was just wondering if you knew me. If I... knew you?”

It was too dark and Joe was too far away to see the trembling blink that Nicky takes. Because in Nicky’s eyes, the moment Joe said the words “My name was Yusuf,” he sees another man.

 _Why are you back?_ He cursed in his head. He was seeing him again. That strange, blood-drenched man from his dreams when he was a kid.

He had disappeared as mysterious as he appeared in his dreams. One day Nicky woke up to realize he stopped dreaming of the man. He had always wondered who he was. _And why-_ Why had the warrior came to his dreams?

The man never spoke to him. Never so much acknowledged him. The shadow of an Arabian turban covered this man’s face. And all Nicky could see was-

His scorching eyes that flared the burning sun.

Nicky tightens his grip on the books in his hands. He tells himself to blink and the man would go away. But somewhere deep inside of him- he didn’t want the man to go away.

He knew him.

This man from his dreams.

Somehow.

Nicky’s eyelids fell and the man vanished when he opens his eyes again. And standing where the warrior was, is Joe. Still waiting for his answer.

“No.” Nicky replies hoarsely. “I didn’t know you before. I have never met you.”

He fixes his grip around his books before he turns to head out.

“Wait-” Joe speaks up. “The translation. Where did you get it? Did you plagiarize?”

Nicky scoffs, turning to Joe, clearly offended by the accusation. “I never plagiarize.”

“Everyone plagiarize before they get caught in high school and warned off.” Joe jeers as he lifts himself off the shelf. He takes a step forward and slips his hands in his pockets. “So tell me. Did you plagiarize the text.”

“No I didn’t.” Nicky growls low.

“Am I suppose to believe that you- somehow- know a dead dialect of old Genoese?

“I-” Nicky looks up at Joe’s unbelieving eyes. He sighs and looks down at the old wooden floors.

“I had an accident.” Nicky confessed. Joe raises a brow confused before Nicky continued, keeping his eyes down. “When I was a kid, I got into an accident. My parent told me I nearly died. But ever since then...” He lifts his gaze up to Joe. “Ever since then I could speak old Italian and even fluent bits of Arabic and Greek without having no knowledge or exposure to it before.”

Joe blinks at him. Nicky chuckles awkwardly. “Why am I telling you this. Never mind me. You won’t be the first to think I’m crazy.”

“No.” Nicky looks at Joe shaking his head. “I don’t think you’re crazy.”

_He doesn’t... think I’m crazy?_

“But I’ll be honest.” Joe sighs. Nicky breathes in deep, readying himself for the next insults. But it never came. And he only hears Joe’s soft melodic voice. “You freaked me out ever since I saw you. Not because of anything- Or you. It’s just me. I-”

“I was a strange kid too.” Joe admits with a struggle as if he was letting his walls down for the first time. “I was three when I started to paint. And I was three... when I saw my dad got killed.” He tightens his jaws. “My biological dad was a.. bad man. And his crimes got to him. Ever since that incident.. I started to paint. And I don’t mean- scribbles. No I legitimately painted. I painted even before I could speak well.”

“And It’s not like I painted anything. There was something specific. I didn’t paint my dad’s death. Or the scenery of Cairo. No I- I painted someone. And now that i think about it... I painted..”

He looks up at Nicky in the eyes. Flaming brown against raging ocean blue.

“I painted you.”

It was Nicky’s turn to look at him as if he was batshit crazy. He scoffs but when Joe’s face confirms his seriousness, Nicky cease his nervous chuckle.

_Is he serious?_

“Me? You painted me?”

“That’s why I asked if we had met before.”

“That’s absurd.” Nicky refuses. “I’ve never been to- Cairo was it? Well not until recently for work. If you painted me when you were a kid, then I would say no. I have never met you.”

“But it’s weird-” Joe mentions as if this whole thing wasn’t weird already. “I painted as you are now. Well at least your face. You had a whole- different get up in my paintings.”

“What?”

“Well I painted you as-” Joe tried to remember with a pause. “Some kinda soldier. With all these armor...” He tilts his head a bit as he looks at the ceiling. “A knight maybe? I don’t know. I forgot. It was a long time ago and I stopped painting that when I moved to London.”

Joe brings his wondering eyes back to Nicky. But it wasn’t Nicky that stands before him. Neither was it the knight that he spoke about and knew his features by heart now.

No. It was the mysterious crusader. From his dream a few nights ago.

_Under the scorching desert sun. With a hot red cross on his chest._

_And a bloody sword in his hands._

_Behind him, the Arabian dunes stretches far and wide._

_“Let’s end this.”  
_

“You must be mistaken.”

Joe blinks back and the knight disappears and Nicky stands there again. “Most Italians have similar features so I don’t blame you.”

Joe doesn’t argue. He was a little shaken by what he had just seen as well. Nicky leaves after Joe replies with a shrug and silence.

Alone in the study, Joe sighs. He glances at the iron chest and comes towards it. He pats the box and shakes his head. “And what secrets do you hold?”

“Joe?”

Joe looks over at the doorway at the call of his name. “Nile. Hey.” He goes to her in response, stopping to see Nicky’s abandoned meal on the table and taking it before he went to the doorway to his student.

“You alright?” He asks gently.

“Yeah.” Nile nods. “Was just about to head off to bed. Um listen- The new guy- Yeah he- He passed out in the next room.”

“In your room?!” Joe flares, ready to kick some ass.

“No. No. Your room.” Nile clarifies. “Your- bed- mattress... thing.”

“Oh?” Joe thinks about it carefully and speedily. If he takes his bed then that means.. Fuck- He has either two options. Bundle in the same bed with either the alcohol-smelling dude or- Nicky.

“Don’t worry about it.” Joe responds with a chuckles. “You know I can sleep anywhere, Nile. I’ll figure it out.”

Nile nodded with a smile. “You’re right. Well let me know if I can help you with anything.”

“Appreciate that, Nile.”

Nile turns to head to her room.

“Hey, Nile...”

Nile glances back at Joe, eyes wide, ready to listen. “Don’t forget to lock your room, ‘kay.”

Nile nodded before she goes down the hall to her room. Joe sighs and watches her before he himself heads back into the kitchen and pops Nicky’s unfinished dinner back into the fridge.

He drinks some cool water to refresh and clear his mind before he breathes out slowly. What was wrong with him these days? He was unfocused. And seeing things...

He lifts his hands to his sight and remembers his sketch a few days ago. And his dream.

His hands trembles and Joe grips it. He rushes in a stumble to the sink and furiously washes his hands of the paint.

There was no paint on his fingers in reality. Joe knows this.

Yet his mind sees paint on his hands.

After a few minutes of washing his hands until he was satisfied, Joe loses his breath in a pant as he closes the water. He grips the edge of the sink and and he tightens his jaws.

_“Moon of my heart.”_

_Hands flew across his body._

_Sharp breathes drawn._

_The moon shines high above the ridged shape of a castle._

“No.” Joe firmly growls as he breathes in, closing his eyes, erasing the all too familiar flashes before his eyes from his memory. “No.”

“Joe?”

He looks up to see Copley coming up to him, an empty mug in his hands.

“Oh hey, Copley.” Joe clears his throat, calming his tone as he spoke and moved out of the way to allow Copley to wash his mug in the sink.

“You alright?” The older gentleman asks, watching him close.

“Of course.” Joe nods the complete lie. “And yourself? You missed dinner completely.”

“Yeah I had a meeting with the school board. I might need to go back soon.”

“So do we need to wrap this up quick?-”

“Oh Andy will lead if it comes to that point. Don’t worry about her. She may be the barker but it’s Nicky that bites.”

Joe chuckles, trying to adapt to the mood. “Quiet Nicky?”

“Fear him.” Copley nods.

Joe shakes his head with a smile. “I’ll consider. I bite too you know.” He pats his old friend’s back before he heads out to retire for the night.

Joe finds his room under the darkness. He checks Nile’s room to see a bit of light coming out. But his room was just complete darkness. He slowly opens the door and pokes himself in quietly.

The moon outside light the room in a soft, gentle glow. Joe could make out the shape of the stranger sprawled out on his mattress, deep asleep.

 _Fucker._ He growled in his head as he frowned at Booker.

“Just sleep on the bed.”

Joe glances at Nicky who spoke out sleepily. He sees a movement on the bed as Nicky scoots to the edge of the bed, leaving a space for him on the right.

Joe knew he didn’t want to wake up the next with back pains so he sighs and climbed on the king sized bed. He didn’t know weather he should use the blanket or simply just lay there in the rather chilling Greek night.

But Nicky makes the decision for him when his hands reached blindly on the wasted part of the blanket that he used and threw it across the bed to Joe. Joe glances at Nicky’s head, awkwardly as he snuggles in.

“Thanks...”

“Just don’t snore.” Nicky mutters.

“I don’t-” Joe stops himself from telling yet another lie. He grunts and turned to his right, curling into the blanket. “I’ll try.”

Joe hears a small “Thanks,” before the silence returned to the room.

Outside an owl hoots. And the crickets sings a tune that soon lulls the both awkward men to sleep.

A sleep that teleport the two men into a dream. A dream of a peaceful Greek night.

A night from another age.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> imagine finally meeting an attractive italian who's just your perfect type only to get nightmares of him and you trying to kill each other. joe's like "whhhaaaa" ashdkahfhf.
> 
> ik i promised joe and nicky fluff but bear with me folks :'''))


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A life is revealed to depend on their remembrance of their past.
> 
> Yet little do they know of it. And less do they know of their painful tragedy. But they need to remember. They need to remember themselves. Their loved ones. And one another. They need to remember an age when they got by a different name.

"Whats he doing?” Booker asks -mainly to himself- through a mouthful of toothpaste. He hadn’t expected a reply.

Nile steps up to the wide open door and leaned on the side of the frame. She curls her hands over her warm cup of tea.

“Shh. He’s fever painting. Leave him be.”

“The fuck is that?” Booker coughs on his toothbrush. “Oh- ‘Scuse my language.”

Nile shrugs as she thinks for a moment what would be the best way to explain Joe’s quirk.

“Joe sees things sometimes. Like visions. Dreams.” She starts as she shivers in the early morning coolness. “Some don’t bother him much as some others do. And then same bother him bad enough to get him painting it.”

“Aint he paintin’ a desert?”

Nile glances at the painting for confirmation. “Seems like it.”

Booker shrugs, nonchalantly. “Weird.”

“Well.” Nile smiles. “Don’t you think it’s beautiful how he turns dreams into painting?” She turns to Booker. “I think it’s magical.”

Booker narrows his eyes on the painting of a single standing banner. Clearly blood splattered but among the gore-ish red, a crimson clear red cross stands out bright against a white cloth. He shivers after a moment, bringing himself out from his daze. 

He turns to Nile to notice her eyes on him. He clears his throat and leaves his toothbrush poking out from the edge of his mouth. “I’m Booker by the way.” He extends his hands. “Booker Layne.”

Nile takes his greeting hand. “Nile Freeman.”

Booker stares for a moment. He knows it’s rude but he couldn't help himself. It wasn’t his attention to stare but he found himself doing so.

Because somewhere deep in Booker- some form of epiphany washed over him. Some reassurance. Suddenly- for once in his damned life.. he felt relieved.

Booker clears his throat and coughed a bit after swallowing some toothpaste. He pulls his hand back and managed a hoarse “Sorry,” before he scurried off to rinse his mouth.

Nile’s curious eyes followed the weird man before she lost sight of him at the corner. She chuckles under her breath. “What a strange guy.”

Nile looks at her hand for a moment. The same hand that had taken Booker’s hand. She tilted her head, feeling something fuzzy. Unidentifiable. Whatever it was, it was far out of the reach of her conscious. She shrugs and wraps her hands around her warm cup of tea again as she watches Joe paint.

An ensemble of colors formed on the canvas, turning it into scenery and figures. As Booker had mentioned, Joe paints the desert. _That would be a first._ She thought. There was similarities in what Joe painted during his fever paintings. He usually painted castles and bits of beautiful old ruins. On occasions he'd draw faceless people. Yet the setting would remain the same in some medieval fortress.

Oh and he loved to paint the moon. Nearly half of the paintings in his art studio was of the moon. Though Nile understands his painting quirk, she will never understand his obsession with the moon.

And she’s pretty sure Joe doesn’t know why he loved the moon himself.

Behind her a couple of wheel whirs and Nile turns to see Copley dragging his luggages. Nile nods a greeting at him with a small polite smile.

“Copley-”

She looks up to see Andy jogging over from the kitchen to him. She looks alert and a bit confused.

“Hey Andy.” Copley sighs as he settles his baggage at the door. He looks at her apologetically. “I’m so sorry for leaving you all like this. I wished there was some other way for me to stay and help you guys.”

Andy shakes her head understandingly. “It’s alright, Copley. I got this.” She nods confidently. “Do you want me to drive you to the airport?”

“Nah. Don’t worry about it. And I swear. Professor Rodney gets his heart attacks in the worst of times.”

“Like he can control it.” She laughs.

“Copley!”

Copley responds to the call of his name. Quynh stumbles out the kitchen with a brown bag.

“Oh good! I caught you.”

“Guilty.” The old professor raises his hands in surrender with a chuckle.

Quynh hands him the brown bag. “Some snack before you take the plane.” She explains.

“Knowing her, it’s probably a feast.” Andy mutters.

Copley laughs. “Of course. Of course. Much appreciated Quynh. Thank you.”

Quynh flashes a smile at him as Copley places the food in his backpack.

“Andy- If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to call or send me a message.” He looks back up at her and pulls up his luggages, ready to leave. “And yeah. You and Nicky just wrap this up whenever you’re ready and send it over to the lab for further detailed research.”

“Yes sir.” Andy nods and makes a playful salute. “You have a safe flight now.”

Copley chuckles. He takes his baggages and steps out, smiling politely at Nile as he excused himself. As he trudges out with his pack, he stops to bid farewell to Joe. However he catches himself at the sight of the art historian painting furiously with full concentration.

With all his soul.

Copley looks pass Joe’s shoulders and at the painting that takes form on the canvas. An endless desert under a scorching Arabian sun. Rows of white banners that held a red cross at it’s center. And a figure cladded in white and silver of chain mail. A long sword in hand.

The soldier looked ready to pounce out. Yet- the only thing that exposed it to just be a painting was the lack of a face on this individual.

Copley sighed as he leaves Joe alone. He takes his steps down the stairs. As he closes the manor gates behind him, he looks up at the house that rather stood higher than the road.

His eyes softens. “The rest is up to all of you now. You need to remember. Before it too late. Remember now. No matter how painful the past is. If not for yourselves... then remember for him.”

“Only the lot of you can save him.”

Copley steps downhill, following the road to the docks to catch his boat to the mainland. He treads carefully in his pace. Firmly. With certainty.

He plants his boots onto the ground with every step.

Yet in his next step, history starts to bleed into the present. His boots were gone, being replaces by a pair of worn sandals. The pants he wore became loose rags of robes, secured around him with a single belt on his waist.

Suddenly he was not longer in Greece.

And he was not Copley-

but the Blind Man....

He shivers daintily in his steps. The Blind Man holds his head high. He was near.

_He was coming._

The Blind Man reaches out. A wrist was caught in his grasp. He pulls it towards him.

“Prince!!!” He hears someone call out.

He feels a rush of wind. A hand raises up. The commotion hushes.

“Elder.” He hears a gentle voice speak to him. “Are you lost, Elder?”

“Boy.” He croaks out from his dry throat.

“That is the Prince of Mali you are speaking to, peasant!”

“Hush.” The gentle voice commands. Menacing. Clear in his order despite the softness of his voice.

“Boy.” The Blind Man repeats as he blinks his clear, translucent eyes at the man before him. “Your time is near. You will soon lose all. And nothing will you gain back in this life. Your reign will end with your prince hood.”

The Blind Man squeezes the prince’s arms in his grip. He hears a muffled wince yet he did not retract his hold. “Seven, my boy. Seven will perish. And seven shall rise. You will be the first.”

“First for what?”

The Blind Man raises a hand and flicks right into the young man’s ribs. He does so as he makes a subtle sound. A sound of an arrow slicing through the wind.

“You will know when it comes.” He assures. “But heed my words, my boy. There is no life for you here. No one can save you. Not the crown. Nor titles. No sword. No words. Not the moon. Nor the sun. Not the rest of the six. They will fail you. But this once.”

“Because when you no longer are a prince. In your blood. In your existence. You will find yourself in darkness once more. And it is your distress that will gather the six again. But they will need to remember in order to save you.”

The Blind Man clasps his hands together, holding the Prince’s warm hands in his. “Fate, I pray. Make them remember before it’s too late.”

Remember.

All of you must remember.

Remember yourself. Remember your loved ones. 

Remember _Young Lady Andromache of House Sypha._ Remember _Lord Sebastian of Toulouse._ Remember _Princess Mazoku Noriko._ Remember _Sir Nicolo di Genova._ Remember _Yusuf ibn Ibrahim Al-Kaysani._ Remember _Prince Lykon of Mali._ Remember his sister, the _Princess of Mali._

Remember one another.

You _need_ to remember it all. And soon.

Remember pain...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did copley pull the strings for them all to meet. even from 900 years ago? or was he just a blind man? idk ;)))
> 
> hope yall like this update and look forward for the tragedy of House Sypha. if you're a sucker for king lear it's gonna be great, lmao. leave a comment on what you think and what you would love to seeeee. thanks yall.
> 
> p.s. shamless self promotion but i just released a joe and nicky au series. check out As-Shams, the first part of my new 365 DNI-inspired series called 365 Nights and Sunrises :D. ok that's all thank youuuu.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A talk under the stars and over the warm fire with barbecue sizzling get the team closer as each slowly unpack their own heavy baggage of pain, trauma and sorrow.

“Do you smell something burning??”

Nile looks up at Andy who paused in her careful scrubbing on the rusted chest. She glances and locks eyes with Nicky who was besides her, collecting some of the rust samples in a couple of bottles.

He shrugs and Nile sniffs a bit. “Nah- That’s just barbecue-”

“A very bad barbecue.” Nicky scoffs after a moment to test the smell in the air.

Andy takes her gloves off and exits to check on it. Nicky returns to tend to the chest and Nile went back to her digital reconstruction of the chest.

A minute of silence passes. For a moment both figured it was nothing and probably the culprit was some of the neighbors.

But then Andy screeches a name. “BOOKER!”

Nile and Nicky crosses a glance at each other before they smiled amusingly. They left their work aside and headed out to the side porch by the kitchen to find Booker starting the fire pit.

“You never told me I couldn’t barbecue!” The blonde shot back at the raging bisexual women.

Quynh steps into the scene and chokes on her coffee as she sees the meat that Booker was working on. She rams Andy aside causing her to trip into Nicky’s catch and an invested Quynh gaps in shock at Booker.

“YOU CAN’T TELL ME YOU’RE ABOUT TO COOK THAT-”

Booker looks up at her. “I am-”

“Not on my fucking watch!” Quynh bellowed. “You didn’t even season it Book!!”

“I gave it some salt.”

“Seasoning, Booker. I said seasoning!!” Quynh takes the bowl of steak from Booker’s inexperienced hands and Booker attempt to reach but Quynh was already off in the kitchen.

Nile laughs as she peers in the fire pit. “Fire’s too big too.”

“What do you know about barbecue.” Booker grumbles as he gets up from his squat and finding a seat on a nearby stool.

“Maybe a thing or two more than you.” Nile rolls her eyes as she finds a stick to poke into the flames. “I come from a big family. Bunch of cousins. Barbecue is like your everyday dinner to us.”

“Eyy. I think she knows what she’s doing, Booker.” Nicky chuckles as he helps Andy take her seat on a bench before he sat on it besides her too.

Booker sighs and he reaches in the box behind him and pulled out a bottle of beer. He hands three to each of them before treating to one himself. He leans back on the tree trunk behind him as he drinks in his little rather depressing corner.

It wasn’t long before Quynh waddles out having turned the steaks into kebabs now on skewers. Booker was impressed but he was rather pissed that the ladies took his spotlight. He had wanted to lighten the house’s mood. Everyone had just been so worked up.

“Where’s Joe?” Quynh realized as the meat was starting to sizzle to a beautiful cook.

“Right here.” Joe pounces out from the darkness of the house. He chuckles as he rubs his cleaned hands against a paint streaked towel. “Seriously, Quynh. I’m not sure if I’m in a humble house or some five star hotel with all the feast you treat us every night.”

Quynh laughs. “Are you flirting with me right now Joe?” She motions a hand over for him to come. “We’re having kebabs.”

There were only two seats available at that point. Once on the bench besides Nicky and Andy. And an old tree stump of a log besides Nile. He chose to sit by Nile almost immediately, smiling at her as she greets him to their little event under the evening stars.

Booker reaches in for another bottle and he hands it over to Joe, passing Nile.

“Oh no I don’t-” Joe looks at the bottle and noticed that it wasn’t beer but soda. “Oh it’s.. Thanks...”

"Booker.” He introduced with a hum to respond to Joe’s thanks. “And you’re Joe right?”

Joe nods as he pops the soda open. “Nice to meet you.”

“As well.” Booker replies.

“Aint this nice? We’re all bonding.” Quynh teases as she swings her tongs around.

Booker laughs and glances at the sizzling meat hungrily.

“Not yet.” Nile says noticing Booker’s beady eyes at it from the corner of her eyes. “Unless you want your kebabs to still be red.”

Booker huffs impatiently. “Yeah sure whatever. Your dad taught you all there is to know about barbecue, I remember.” 

“Actually.” Nile sighs as she pokes the burned tip of the wood on the pavement of the patio. “My dad passed when I was really little. So my brother taught me.”

A silence lifts up with only the sound of the fire crackle. Nile looks up with eyes on her and she bites her tongue back.

“Shit. Sorry- I didn’t mean to ruin the mood.”

“No no..” Booker shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that in the first place.”

“Oh no.” She chuckles dryly as she fiddles the stick in her hand. “To be honest. Sometimes I do need to talk about him. To remember him.”

“Then lets do that.” Andy offers as she leans in her seat with a caring and concerned smile on her face. “Lets all talk. Not as co-workers or professors or- strangers. Let’s talk as friends. I feel like we’re close as it is already.”

Strange but true. What Andy said about some of them being strangers to one another was true. Yet somehow each one of them felt comfortable with the next person. Like they had met before. It was like as if they had been friends once.

Booker nods at the idea. But no one spoke up first so he sighs and volunteers first, lifting himself from his slouching seat on the tree behind him.

“If I may then?” He starts and when Andy nods he gazes his eyes into the low burning flames. Tired, exhausted eyes. Eyes that had seen more hard and sad days than happy ones.

“I'm gonna be honest. That bar job was the only thing that got me going." Booker sighs. "It was busy so it distracted me. And now... Everything is coming back."

"I lost my wife and son just a little over 2 years ago.” He starts. Nile blinks at him and glances down at his hard clench on the bottle in his hands. “At the time I was away constantly on assignments. Everything was alright. Shanon was getting better and better from her addiction. Sam was growing. And then...”

“The next thing I knew... they were both dead. They told me later that my son got sick. And fast. Before they could help... it was already too late for him.”

“And Shanon? Shanon went back to her old habits. And it took her as well only days later.. But I was away when all of this happen. So far away. My commander then never gave me any light of day about it. In his defense we were on a rather top secret and important operation. But...” Booker pauses and pushes his tongue hard against his inner cheeks.

“Asshole.” Nicky growls with a sigh. Booker nods in agreement but stays silent.

“That’s what being in the army is.” Nile says softly. She meets Booker’s eyes. “Some people don’t realize just how much effort and dedication a soldier puts in their work. How much we do to defend the people and the homes that we love.”

“My father died for his country. He was rewarded the highest of medals for it. But that’s just...” Nile pauses to catch her breath as her voice shakes. “That’s just a bunch silver and gold at the end of the day. It will never have the warmth and the gentleness that my father had.”

She exhales in slowly as she lowers her eyes down at her shoes. “Then- the world just had to take my brother as well.”

Nicky, Andy and Quynh’s eyes lifts up at her. Nile keeps her eyes on the ground and chuckles. Hurt. “He was an International DEA agent. His last mission turned out to be a bust. Honestly we all knew the risk of his jobs but goddamn were we not prepared for it.”

Joe rubs Nile’s back, gently.

“We can’t ever prepare for these things.” Quynh says softly over the soothing sound of the burning wood. “There’s so much mystery the future holds. Some happy. Some tragic. We can only expect... never prepare.”

“When did this happen, if I may ask?” Andy steps in.

“Uh- Like.. two months ago maybe?”

Booker widened his eyes. Nicky’s jaws dropped in disbelief. “And you went back to school? You came here?!”

“I needed the distraction.” She confessed hoarsely. “I needed to move on.”

“But sometimes what you need isn’t to move on, Nile.” Quynh says gently. “You know I nearly died once. It was pretty boring.. I wasn’t in the army- or Marine I guess. Just a swim. A swim nearly took me. Or at least I think?...”

“How do you think?” Booker asks.

“I don’t know.. I have this memory- Of drowning.” Quynh looks into the fire. “I don’t know from when exactly. And my parents don’t know either. They always say I was a natural born swimmer. But I grew up in Miami. Every damn house had a pool. There was a lake in every town if not every block.”

“Not really..” Andy mutters.

Quynh shoots her a poisonous glare. “You get my point. I could've fallen into one and got myself out and blacked out or something. But what I mean by this is that even now I still wake up to that nightmare. No amount of therapy ever helped that.”

“Exactly my point.” Booker cuts in with a hearty laugh. “Therapy is a waste of money.”

“Shut up, Booker. You never even tried therapy and went straight to your drinking problem. Anyways, Nile. Give yourself some time. Moving on isn’t always the answer.”

“It’s true, Nile.” Joe speaks next. “You probably don’t know about this of me but.. When I first came out as bi to my parents.. I left. All of it. My family. The only home I knew. I close the gate and I never once looked back.”

In the dark evening, Nicky lifts his eyes on a somber Joe. A flicker of interest lights in those eyes of his. Or perhaps it was just the reflection of the fire.

“I moved on. Too fast. For myself. And for my family. Now- I don’t know how to return. How to rewind. Pick up my steps back.” Joe sighs and looks at Nile with a hard smile. “I don’t want that for you. I know it’s only you and your mother left now. But... don’t sever that line. That connection. Because now it’s all you have.”

Nile nods as tears wells in her eyes. Joe pulls her in for a hug and Nile leans her head on his shoulder, allowing herself to be helped for the first time since the news of her brothers unfortunate mission came.

“You’re not alone, Nile.” Nicky says from across the dying fire pit. “I know you may think you are. And it may seem that way sometimes. But you aren’t.”

“I was an only child growing up. And my parents rose me loosely without much rules and I had all the freedom in the world. But not much care. Not much attention. We were a family of three with each our own different worlds.”

“I know what it’s like. To feel alone. To be alone.” He nods slow as he meets Nile’s gaze to give her reassurance. “It’s scary. I’ve been there. I may still be there. Knowing that you may spent the rest of your life alone. Just yourself. With all your pain and hardships...”

“But I assure you.. _you_ are not alone.” He glances up at Joe and who lifts his eyes up at him. For a moment they held their gaze. Longing.. But then Nicky drops his eyes and looks away.

“We’re all here for you, Nile.” Andy confirms Nicky’s words. “And you too Book." She glances at him and he winks at her with a chuckle. "If not all of us- You have me. I promise you both that. Actually all of you. And I know that’s not much. I’m not the best of the best. People have told me I’m dysfunctional as it is.” Andy glances at Quynh who shoots her a look.

“But... I’m here.” Andy offers. “For you. For all of you.”

“What she said.” Nicky nods. "All"

“Same 'ere. If you got a can of beer or anything alcoholic, come right up anytime y'all.” Booker glances at Joe. “Well you don’t drink so- shit I don’t care just get me a Monster drink or soda or something.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Joe chuckles.

Nile smiles at them all softly, appreciating their open and welcoming warm offer. “Thank you... All of you.”

“Shit-” Quynh curses.

Booker glances to her in alarm as she hurriedly tends to the barbecue. “QUYNH DID YOU BURN OUR DINNER!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a fun little chapter with everyone unpacking their baggages if ye know what i meannnn.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicky doesn't remember the night before. Weather he might of done a mistake or not, only Joe would know for he was the only one sober.
> 
> Andy encourages him to take Joe out for a meal. But Nicky has one condition.

The sun was warm against Nicky’s cheek. He stirs awake but kept his eyes close as he was still half asleep. His throat runs dry in a moment and the throbbing pain in his head reminds him of his hangover from the drinks he drank the night before.

He grumbles as he lifts a hand to hold his aching head. He had never been much of a drinker. But he felt like he needed a bit of it considering everything that happened. Starting from the strange texts and the chest in the study to- well...

Nicky opens his eyes. _-Joe,_ he finishes his trail of thought as he blinks blankly at the face before him, only inches away. Joe was the strangest one yet to bother his mind. This whole job spooked him but Joe- Joe was stirring something inside of him. Whatever it is.

Nicky blinks at him again. And thats when he notices how close they were. Joe was pushed to his corner and Nicky realized he had been hogging the bed. “S-shit-” He rolls back and scrambles up too fast causing him to fall on the ground, hurting himself on the floor.

 _Had I_ _drunk too much?_ This was wild of him. Nicky winces as he grabs his ankle at the slight pain.

Joe grunts, waking up. “Nick?” He mumbles, noticing Nicky’s fall. “You alright man?”

“Uh- Yes.” Nicky quickly hopped back carefully on his feet. He notices once more that he wasn’t wearing a shirt. He always did this when he was drunk. Strip. Thank god he still had his boxers and shorts on.

As Joe rubs his eyes and yawned, Nicky grabs the blanket and throws it over the art professor’s head. “G-Go back to sleep..” Nicky picks up his shirt from the ground and scrambles out the room, struggling to force his head through the collar of his tee.

Joe sits up, pulling the blanket off from his face but curling it over his shoulders as he yawns, his eyes closed as he seemed to still be half asleep.

Nicky stumbles into the dining room to see Nile with a cup of coffee and her laptop, having start her work again. 

Nile glances up at him. “Hey. Morning.”

“Good morning.”

“How are you feeling? You were in a pretty bad shape by the end of last night.”

Nicky gulps as he rubs his neck. “Ahaha- yeah. I’m pretty lightweight. Um- You got coffee?”

“Oh yeah. Booker brewed a pot earlier. It should still be in the kitchen.”

“Thanks.” Nicky goes over to the next room to find a bit of coffee still in the pitcher. It wasn’t much but enough for him. At least for the time being.

He pours himself a mug of pure black coffee and goes over to join Nile in the calm morning. “Already working?”

“Yeah.” Nile chuckles. “Professor Joe asked for an x-ray scan of Andromache, the Last Scythian a few weeks ago and the results just came out- and actually there’s a quite interesting turn in this.”

“What do you mean?” Nicky walks around the table towards Nile. “May I?”

“Yeah yeah.” Nile scoots a chair so Nicky can come see. She tilts her laptop towards him and he peers into the image of the painting on the screen.

“Oh it’s the same one with the old Italian text.” He mentions immediately as he noticed the familiar words on the far corner. What Copley had sent to him then was only the cropped picture of text and not the full image.

“What?” Nile glance at him but Nicky stays silent. Instead he leans in, his face serious and invested.

Nicky observes the painting. He observes the coloration, faded from all the ages it had survived through. He observes the content of it with a woman he presumes is Andromache, the Greek lady. Behind her was a wall of blooming red roses. He observes the different shades of red, oranges and purple as the light hits the subjects and fades into shadows.

Nicky blinks at it once more.

He’s seen this painting. He’s seen it...

So very long ago-

_A brush dips into a deep maroon paint._

_Nicolo watched under the shade of the tree behind the his beloved painting. A hand rested on the hilt of his sword. But he was calm._

_Everything was calm. It was serene._

_“Sir Nicolo?”_

_The content knight glances up at the call of his name. He looks up to see the young Lady Andromache, laying peacefully on the bosoms of her handmaiden. And it was she, the handmaiden who had called his name from the comfort of her rest among the rose vines._

_“Sir Nicolo. Would you be so kind and give us a poem?” The handmaiden asked in Greek.  
_

_Nicolo laughs. “I am far from a poet, Miss Noriko. Unlike my beloved of course.”_

_Nicolo hears the painter chuckle through the soft beard on his chin. The knight grins silently at the sound of music to his ears._

_“I’m sure you’ve learned a thing or two of words then, Sir Nicolo. With the amount of time you two have spent.” She giggles as the knight’s ears flares into a shade of hot pink._

_“Oh enlighten us, habibti, my love.” The gentle voice of the painter spoke out._

_Nicolo sighs out a bit. “Very well. If I must then.” He clears his throat and he casts his gaze to Andromache, with her golden circlet over her head._

_“No crown.” He starts. The knight then looks down to his sword at his lap. “No sword. No words. No war.” Nicolo glances to his love, suo amore. “Not the moon. Nor the sun. Just us. Just I, you. Until the end.”_

_Nicolo kept his eyes on the painting man. Some joy fills him up to the brim. Some happiness. And warmth._

_Andromache smiles and glances up at Noriko, her handmaiden from a land in the far east, beyond the great wall of china and eastwards towards the eastern sea. “Shall we write that down?”_

_Her handmaiden giggles. “Who would’ve known that the great Sire Nicolo di Genova truly has a couple of sweet words at his tongue?”_

_“That why they say to never let a poet kiss you.” Andromache grins widely as she looks at the two lovebirds across from themselves. “Their tongues are build for love. And you can taste all their words at a touch of lips.”  
_

_The ladies giggled as Nicolo blushes once more. He lifts his gaze back up at the painting man. The shoulders move as they felt his eyes on them. The man turns towards Nicolo-_

“Moooorning.”

The vision shatters before Nicky’s unblinking eyes. Nile peers from behind Nicky to see Joe trudging out, a clear mess. His thick subtle curls stuck out rather ridiculously in the air and his eyes were half opened as he had a hand under his shirt as he scratched his stomach.

“Morning, Joe. Nice sleep?”

“After the feast last night? You bet. I’m sorry for ya’ll who gotta deal with your-” Joe stops as he sees Nicky scurry away, balancing his coffee in his hands. “Hangover-” He finishes rather awkwardly. “What’s up with him?”

Nile’s gaze followed Nicky and she shrugs. “Did something happen between the two of you last night?”

Joe blinks at her as the memory of a chaotic and drunk Nicky replays in his mind.

_Joe and Booker stumbles into the room with Nicky’s arms both slung on their shoulders._

_“God dammit! I keep forgetting how much of a lightweight he actually is.” Booker curses as he throws Nicky into bed. Nicky descends down but drags Joe along with him into the clean sheets.  
_

_Nicky blinks his crossed eyes at him. He then grins drunkenly and laughs. “You know I always knew you were-” Nicky flaunts a hand out in a casual gay motion. “The moment I saw that face- Those beautiful eyes and those curls and those- lips.” Nicky rolls on top of Joe for a closer look._

_Joe breaths in abruptly as he presses himself as flat as he can on the bed._

_“Agh Jesus.” Booker rolls his eyes as he lifts his hands up in surrender as he limps his way to his mattress on the other side of the bed. “I’d tell you two to get a room but you share one with me. So please try to remember that my dudes.”  
_

_“I yo- wait- Booker hey man I-” Joe tried before Nicky collapses on top of his chest, blacking out.  
_

_Joe blinks at the ceiling, helplessly. He hears a small crash and then Booker starts to snore, already dead asleep. He sighs and ponders how his degrees got him here. To Greece. Underneath some hot Italian._

_The night was still. The ladies had all gone to their own respective rooms with Andy moving into Copley’s place after the man left. All was quiet. The moonlight leaks in through the curtains, shyly peering in. Joe then hears his own heart beating._

_God damn- Was his heartbeat always this fast??_

“Soooo??”

Joe blinks sleepily at Nile. “Nope.” Joe answers her question. “Nothin’ happened. Not that I know of.”

“Oh come on, teach. He’s hot. He seems to always look at you. Don’t you think there should be something happening?”

Joe laughs as he points at her and waddles up to her. “I always loved your humor, Nile. Anyways. What do we got here?”

“I wasn’t joking.” Nile mutters but offers her laptop to her professor. “I just got the scan for the painting. And take a look at this.”

Joe takes the laptop and blinks at it, carefully. “Wait-” He observes it closely and narrows his eyes. And then he gasped.

He looked at Nile and she nods in reply to his shock. “It’s exactly what you see. What we know as Andromache, the Last Scythian is not the true painting.”

“Someone painted over the original art.” He looks at Nile. “Nile! This is big! Do you think you can-”

“Reconstruct the original painting? Already on it sir.” She grins.

Joe gives her a thumb up and he casts his gaze across the house just to catch Nicky disappearing into the study.

“Morning, Andy.” Nicky greets.

“Morning, Nicky. How’s your hangover?”

“Tolerable.” Nicky sniffs as he sips his coffee. “Yours?”

“Just about gone. I’m surprised by the amount you drank last night. Everything alright?” She places her tools down as she looks up at her old friend, giving him her undivided attention.

Nicky nods. “Yeah. Yeah. All is good.”

“Did you remember anything from last night?”

“I- uh...” Nicky shoots a scared look at her. “Shit- I dont. Andy did I do something bad?! Did I say something wrong?!”

“What no.” She laughs as she leans her back on the table and dries her hands on the apron around her waist. “I was just wondering if you remembered anything with you and Joe.”

Nicky’s eyes sank. “No-” It wasn’t a reply to her answer. Nicky’s tone was more scared of that which he didn’t know. “What did I do?”

“Nothing.” Andy laughs. “You were just badly out of it so Joe and Booker had to drag you back to bed. And well. I don’t know- I heard Booker telling the two of you to get a room?”

“Oh shit.” Nicky drops his head low in embarasment.

Andy laughs. “Awwh. I’m sure it wasn’t anything that bad. Hey- You know Booker. He’s always joking and saying shit every time.”

“What if I did something bad thought?”

“Well then why don’t you ask Joe? He doesn’t seem to be the type to mind. Plus didn’t he say he was bi last night?”

“So?” Nicky nearly shrieks.

Andy lifts her hands out to motion Nicky to calm down. She couldn’t help but be amused by a flustered Nicky’s frustration. “God you’re so hopeless. Okay, hear me out now.”

“What are the chances of you finding a nice, good looking- no he’s hot, I’m just gonna be real honest Nicky- That man is hot. And he’s definitely your type. And don’t you try to tell me you never stare because I see you eye fucking him all the damn time-”

“What are you talking about-” Nicky gaped but then remembered that he had been quite invested at the stranger with all the weirdness that surrounded him as well. “Wait- that- No Andy.”

Andy hold a finger up. “Say you did a mistake last night, Nicky. What do you think you should do?”

“But what if I didn’t”

“Well still- what do you think you should do?”

“Andy get to the point...” Nicky sighs, too tired to deal with this right before he even finished his morning coffee.

“Why don’t you... treat Joe for a dinner. Weather you did something or not.” She shrugs. “It could be an apology if you did. And if you didn’t do anything last night, then make it a date, how ‘bout that?”

“A- Date?”

“Nicky.” Andy sighs as she pushes herself up and toward him. She grips his shoulder lightly. “We’ve known each other for what? Nine years now? I’ve seen you go through heartbreaks, getting used and.. abuse as well. You’re always so strong. But you’ve always been alone at the end. And I don’t want that for you.”

Nicky shakes his head. “I’m better off myself anyways.”

“Listen. You deserve someone. A nice one for once. Someone who’ll love you as you are. As Nicky. All quiet and observing Nicky. I promise you. There’s someone out there for you, my guy.” She pats his shoulder.

“So what about it? Just a meal? Come on. Joe seems to be a nice guy. He’s chill and easy going and he seems to be caring. And Copley tells me he’s single too. Not to mention the vibe we’re in is nice. We’re on a tropical beach for fucks sake! Love is in the air.”

“That’s just serotonin.”

“Come on now. What harm can a date do?”

“Fine.” Nicky mumbled.

“Wait- shit. Really?”

“In what condition though.”

Andy clasps her hands together, victoriously. “Yes! Okay what do I need to do? I’ll do anything for this to happen!”

“I’ll take him out for a meal.” Nicky emphasizes, refusing to use the word date. Andy rolls her eyes before he continues. “Only if you come with me.”

Andy raises her brow. “You want me to be a fucking third wheel?”

“No… a double date.”

Andy blinks at him. From down the hall a very sleepy and hungover Quynh stumbles out from the stairs, looking half dead. Nicky sips his coffee as he eyed her and glances back at Andy who returns her realizing eyes back to him

“A double date.” Nicky repeats, a smirk on his lips. The devilish Italian man knew she would never agree to it in a million years. “That or nothing.”

Andy frowns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we all know they want each other but goddamn fate is a bitch sometimes. anyways how do you think it's about to go down? is andy gonna really do it and bring quynh with her???
> 
> also that phrase booker said about sharing a room and stuff- yeah i just wanna mention i got it from tumblr and i can't find the post anymore now so dfsdfjsdhj all the credits goes to the original maker:))))


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A date begins disastrously before it even dares to start.
> 
> However despite all the misunderstandings, feelings are clear as day. The definite attraction between Joe and Nicky and the complex wounds between Andy and Quynh.

Joe looks up from his phone. According to google maps, the beach side restaurant should be just around-

 _Aha._ He jogs up the corner as soon as he catches the familiar sign. It’s been a day since the whole barbecue and Nicky had not spoken a word to him since and even seemed to voluntarily avoid Joe. And in return Joe didn’t truly confront him of it despite his growing curiosity.

The space however puts Joe at ease. He didn’t know just how much Nicky had been on his mind lately. How bad his visions had been starting to get lately. So bad that it got him painting again. And oddly something new for once.

Despite the calmness, Joe however felt himself wondering about Nicky as himself. The guy was quiet, focused and seemed so uptight in a way where he desired to be perfect in a world that was so impure and imperfect. He seemed to stress over little things especially when it came to his work.

God the man was always working. Joe could definitely smell the workaholic on him.

So it intrigued him when he gets a text from Nicky that afternoon, asking him to meet him out for a talk. At a restaurant though... In the back of his mind, experience tells him that it was clearly the guy asking him out on a date but what Joe really wanted was to have a nice meal with this guy. Get to know him better.

And figure a way to get the man to genuinely smile.

Something deep in Joe wanted to make him happy. To see him laugh without any burden of the world.

Just him. A little rough around the edges- but content.

Joe jogs up the stairs and pulls the doors open. He was greeted by a waiter but he soon catches sight of the fine sculpted figure of Nicky looking out from the open windows to the sea.

Joe approaches him quietly. He had spent way too long taking in the details of many different arts piece by piece that he does it by nature at this point. He observes Nicky and notices his finer details.

The way he rests his sharp jawline against his wide palm his finger just touching against the lobe of his ears. The tiny bits of freckles that would easily been unappreciated if one hadn’t gotten a closer look. The way his hair ruffles in the cool sea breeze, as he closes his pair of ocean blue eyes to enjoy it.

Joe may crave to see him smile.

But he never knew how much he _needed_ to see Nicky calmly enjoying a quiet afternoon, seemingly in peace with his own self and the world.

“Hey.” Joe greets as he comes right up to their table.

Nicky turns to him and immediately, Joe could see the fluster in his eyes. Suddenly, Joe longed to see him back in his peace and hates himself for breaking it.

“Oh hey- You’re here.” Nicky kinda awkwardly tried to get up before Joe puts a hand out and motion him to sit down as he takes a seat himself among the four that was available.

“Sorry I’m late.” Joe apologizes and thinks for a moment on what his accuse would be. _This place was pretty hard to find but honestly..._ “I was actually kinda surprised you asked to meet. Here of all places- I mean I appreciate it.” He corrects himself immediately. “I was just not expecting it.”

Nicky clears his throat nervously. “Well I uh- You look like the type to like surprises.”

Joe folds his arms together and leans in on the table, keeping a subtle and interested gaze at Nicky. “Yeah? I’m curious now. What other types do I look to you?”

Nicky scratches his head awkwardly and glances up at Joe who is honestly coming up really easy. There was no game to this man. No mystery. At least when he seemed to be interested at something.

And right now, Nicky is the main subject of his interest.

And to be honest, the Italian man fancied the idea of it.

Nicky chuckles and made little circles on the table top with his fingers. “May I be bold to say the type to put shit aside and straight up say what you really want in life?”

Joe lifts his hands up in surrender and chuckles. “I ain’t some book for you to translate with your paleography degree, Mr. Nicholas.”

“Well shit- you’re right.” Joe looks up to see a subtle smile on Nicky’s lips. He lets a victorious cheer play in his head. “You’re not a book at all, Mr. Joseph.”

“Hmnn? Then what am I?”

“What are you?” Nicky echos playfully as he narrows his eyes.

Joe nods as he tilts his head. “To you.”

Nicky pauses. He blinks at Joe.

_“Tell me, beloved. What am I? To you?.”_

_Nicolo smiles under the low shine of the moon. He reaches out to touch the falling long curls between his fingers._

_He starts by saying a name. A name that breaks apart in pieces at his tongue._

_“Yu- sf. Al-Ka- Y. Ni.”_

Nicky closes his eyes and winces a bit as he catches his head with his hand, grimacing at the sudden sharp pain.

“Nicky?” Joe quickly and worriedly reaches out for him in respond but he immediately stopped before his hands touched him.

Joe remembers the last they touched. During their first meet. Their handshake.

And whatever it was that came over them.

Nicky breathes and Joe quickly retracts his hands back into his side. He clears his throat.

“Sorry. Migraines.” Nicky coughs awkwardly.

“Mmm.” Joe nods. “Yeah no. I get it. So umm- what did you want to talk about??”

“Huh?”

“You called me here to uhh- talk? At least that’s what you said in the text you sent me I- How did you get my number again?”

“Oh Andy sent it to me, yeah..”

Joe nods before he shrugs. “So what’s up?”

“Oh.” Nicky starts to panic. _Where the fuck is Andy?_ “Well nothing much really.. I just. I.. I had a question..”

Joe motions him to go on ahead and leans in with his listening face, with his undivided attention on Nicky.

Nicky clears his throat. _Shit uhh- uhh.._

_“Al-Ka Y. Ni.”_

Nicky strains his ears to listen to the voice in his memory. Strangely it seemed to be his own voice..

But then he hears another voice speak.

_“He is scion of a well known merchant family. The Al-Kaysani.”_

“Al-Kaysani.”

Joe’s eyes subtly lights up at the name.

Nicky continues. “I wanted to ask you about Al-Kaysani. H- Have you ever heard of it? Does it ring any bells?”

“You mean the name, Al-Kaysani?” Joe asks.

Nicky nods and Joe rubs the side of his beard, deep in thought. He then leans back in his seat, finding support on his chair.

“There are rumors of a great family from the medieval Maghrebi regions of North Africa. A merchant family whose success runs deep from a time before Mansa Musa came around.”

“However, the only historical records that has preserved to this day is one man by that name. He was a muslim slave, captured from the battlefields of the first Crusades of 1099 and sold in Greece to...”

He pauses as he tilts his head a bit. As he speaks the facts of that which he knows, he senses an odd feeling within him. As if he knew more than what he should know. From what he had read regarding the individual by that name.

“It’s unclear weather he was sold directly to House Sypha or not, but he was the one that painted the Lady Andromache, the Last Scythian.”

“You mean the painting??” Nicky realized after a moments of thought. “With the old Genoese text on it??”

Joe nods.

 _What the hell is going on?_ Nicky is beyond confused at this point. Whatever he’s been seeing. Whatever he’s been hearing. As if that wasn’t all weird enough-

It turns out it was all connected. Al-Kaysani. The Andromache painting. Nicky looks up at Joe who looked out at the view from the window. And Joe... Nicky knew that in some way, shape or form, he was connected in all of this.

They both were..

If not everyone. And that would be Andy, Q-

Andy shuffled up to the table. “Hey.” She pants out a bit. “Joe.” She greets as she scoots in to sit with Nicky. 

“Andy-” Joe welcomes, caught off guard and a little surprised.

Andy flashes a grin at him before she turns to Nicky who was wearing a simple tee and some jeans. “Really? Could you have put in a bit more effort?” She hisses.

“Are you?” He shoots back at her in a hot whisper.

Andy looks down at her fit that was equivalent to Nicky’s with only an oversize trench for a little flare.

“Is he?” Nicky continues, motioning to Joe. Andy glances at him quickly to see that he was wearing a casual loose shirt that seemed rather comfortable for the beachy vibe and weather of Cythera. At least he looked good in it. Elegant even.

 _He must be one of those types to pull off any fashion no matter how simple or weird it is,_ Andy scoffs silently.

“I’m sorry...” Joe leans in, a bit confused at what was truly happening at the moment. “What’s going on right now?”

Andy blinks at him. “Nicky didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what... exactly??”

“That it’s uh-”

Nicky grabs Andy’s arm from beneath the table and out of Joe’s sight. He squeezed his grip hard on her as he smiles naturally. “My treat.” He smiles.

But before Joe could vocalize his suspicions again, the three hears the urgent sound of footsteps, coming and advancing. Joe looks behind him over his shoulders while Andy watches in embarrassment and Nicky just wants to disappear at that point.

Quynh bustles in, wearing a simple short and tucked in Tee with a red flowing kimono on top. She searches around for a moment, not caring that her hair was on her face as it whirls at her movements. She then catches the familiar face in the short distance.

She rushes over, worry in her eyes.

“Oh my god- I came as fast as I can, Andy. Are ya’ll okay? What’s the emergency?”

Joe blinks at her blankly.

Nicky jabs Andy. “What did you tell her?”

“The only thing that will make her come out here.”

“And that is?”

Andy sighs. “I said that there was an emergency and she needs to get her right now...”

“Wait-” Quynh frowns as she fixes her hair back over her shoulders. “What’s happening right now..”

Joe pulls a chair out for Quynh to sit. “I’d like to know as well.” He smirks at the two schemers. Quynh settles down at the offered chair, exhausted from her sudden rush over.

“And what did you tell him?” Andy turns to Nicky.

“That there was something we needed to talk...”

Quynh raises a brow and looks at Joe. “Why are you here.”

“I think it’s for the very same reason you’re here.” He chuckles and glances at Nicky. “Did you guys tried to pull a double date without actually telling us.”

Nicky coughs and avoids Joe’s amused eyes as he looks out the window.

“What the fuck? Are you serious?” Quynh snapped, glaring at them, equally pissed at the two. She grunts out a mutter of curses and gathers her phone back in her hands and attempts to gut up and leave.

“Eyy- wait.” Joe calls just as she stood up. “You’re leaving?”

“I’m not interested for a date.” She scoffs. “And honestly, Andy. I thought we were done to begin with. What was all that talk you said about never seeing each other again.”

Andy keeps her eyes on the table.

“Honestly you could’ve called Booker over. It would’ve made things less shitty as it is already.”

Joe blinks, a little surprised by the reveal of their past as exes. But he shakes his head and looks back at Quynh. “Oh come on, Ms. Nguyen.” He coos gently as he pats the empty table. “Heard Nicky was treating us. Stay for the food if you must.”

“And we should get Nile and Mr. Booker out here as well.” He glances at Andy then at Nicky with a subtle smirk. “To make it less awkward right, folks?”

Quynh looks back at Joe and then at Nicky who realized what deep shit he got himself in. Or at least his wallet soon enough.

 _Honestly_ he just wanted to know if he had done a mistake when he blacked out from the barbecue or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear the whole past life thing is gonna come soon. I just wanna make a strong bond between them in the present. Strong enough that the truma of their past life wouldn't cast them away from each other but instead bring them closer.  
> hope you like this update. once again, thanks yall.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Joe and Nicky seems to come a step closer to understanding their feelings for each other, there is another still lost in passion and pain.

Nicky comes up the counter with an awkward and exhausted step as he lets out a defeated sigh. “Check please.” He requests to the waiter who happily hands him his due receipt.

The man takes one glance at the digits and his soul instantly retired from his body. _Holy son of god!_ There was a reason why Nicky always favored letters over numbers.

He feels his blood pressure raising and he catches himself with a help of his hand on the counter to support his weight. He takes a calculated breath in and widens his eyes with a blink to keep himself focused.

Perhaps he saw the amount wrong.

He squints his eyes at the receipt once more. _Nope. Nope. I saw it right the first time. Dammit._

“Nickyyy!” Booker maneuvers his way through the table with the widest grin slapped across his scruffy face as he grips on Nicky’s shoulder. “Thanks for the meal, old pal.”

Nicky forces a smile on his lips as he turns over his shoulder to respond silently with a nod. He sees, tailing behind Booker, the the rest of the merry lot with Nile coming right after and Joe at the very end, seemingly tidying the table of their mess a bit.

“Thank you, Nicky.” Nile smiles as she passes and flashes a polite smile at him before making her way out. Booker chuckles and gives Nicky’s shoulder a tight squeeze before he himself heads out, following after her.

“Yeah, no. Anytime.” Nicky seethes. He watches them go before Andy and Quynh catches his eyes. At that point both women were practically writing death threats to each other with their eyes. Andy hurriedly stride over and made her way out in silence. Quynh seemed more relaxed, controlled. She pats Nicky’s back as she passes but remained verbally silent.

Nicky watches her out. He couldn’t help but wonder if he made things worse with Andy and Quynh. He knew deep down how much they meant to each other. And yet he also knew just how much they have destroyed one another.

Nicky shakes his head to snap himself back to his payment. He sighs and pulls out his wallet from his pockets and begrudgingly reveals his credit card when━ 

Joe comes up from behind him and places his card over the receipt and slides it towards the waiter. “You can put it all under this card.”

Nicky frowns at the gesture and turns to challenge the professor only to find himself inches away from him. Inches away from his body. From his nose. His lips.

Nicky holds his breath, forgetting his words.

The waiter didn’t wait another second as he scuttled away to run the card. Joe smiles and loosens up a bit as he gazes into Nicky’s eyes relaxingly.

“You know.” Joe tilts his head. “Believe me when I say this. I’ve seen many grand items in my line of work. Art so elegant, so glamorous, so breath-taking... So expensive in beauty and grace. Yet.” Joe pauses. He’s eyes twitches as they peer deeper into Nicky’s blue ones. Searching. For something within. _Someone_. 

“No craft can compare to the perfection of your eyes. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s like..” Joe’s hand reaches for Nicky’s chin. “Like they’ve got a soul of their own.”

Nicky evade Joe’s touch with a slight flinch as he sharply turns his head away. Joe rubs his empty fingers together in the air as he steps back, receiving the silent language. Nicky clears his throat as he glances at the waiter finishing the meal’s payment.

“Why did you do that?” He asks as he eyes the waiter. “I was supposed to pay. You said it yourself earlier.”

Joe looks up at him and chuckles. “I can’t lie and say no reason can’t I?”

Nicky tilts his head at him, his eyes piercing with annoyance yet also a gleam of amusement at the flirt he receives.

The waiter returns and hands Joe his card and receipt back. Joe retrieves it and smiles at Nicky as he places his items back in his wallet. “I wanted you to owe me one. If you had payed today, then that would give you no reason to see me again.”

Joe puts his wallet and hands in his pockets as he gazes into Nicky. God he always seem to find his eyes back to this man. He couldn’t help it. His eyes were trained for art. Honed after degrees and countless late nights simply for beauty.

And there was nothing more beautiful than the handsome man before him.

Nicky once again was lost for words. And it shocks him as well. He was supposed to know words. And yet there he stands. A linguist. A man of words. Speechless.

Joe smiles and he nods his head towards the exit in an invitation to leave as he turned and made his way out. Nicky follows after a moment and they both emerge to a cool and dark temperate eve.

“You’ve never even gone around? Not once?!”

The two join the commotion at the end of the stairs. Booker seemed to be worked up on something. He scoffs as he walked a bit in circles. He then glances at Andy with a disappointed shake of his head.

“Alright. Since Andy has failed to be your tour guide-” He sighs. “Everyone after me. I’m going to show you folks something that’ll blow your mind.”

Joe chuckles at Booker’s slight lack of energy as he spoke. Nicky glances ever so subtly at him. There was an eerie comfort in the man’s voice, he noticed. The soft rumble of his laughter. It seemed like a hum a mother would sing to her child at night. Soothing. Full of solace.

_Home._

As Booker turned and makes his way down the beach, the team moves. Nile following enthusiastically after him, eager for the view and experience. Joe and Nicky follows after, though it seems that Nicky forces himself to slower his pace as to give distance between himself and the art professor.

And in the rear were Andy and Quynh. When Nile and the boys reached the sandy shores of the Greek beach, Quynh reaches out and catches Andy’s arm.

Andy quickly looked back at her with a pair of cold eyes.

Quynh immediately releases her hold as if she had touched fire. She stepped back.

“What?” Andy demands.

“What?” Quynh mocks back. “I should be the one asking that, Andy. What the fuck was that?”

“What?”

“Earlier. The double date? Are you serious?”

Andy blinks at her for a moment before giving her an answer. “Hey you said it not me.” She shrugs and turns to head down.

“Andy!”

She sighed at the scolding call of her name. She was so tired of it. And yet she acknowledges it and even responded to it with a glance at Quynh.

“We agreed.” Quynh seethes as she closes the distance between them. “We agreed never to do anything with each other.”

“And?” Andy replies dryly.

“And? I- Then why are y-”

“Why are you still here Quynh?” Andy shoots her shot. Wounding. Merciless. Fatal. “You’re not a prisoner in my house. You are welcome to leave anytime and YET!” She glares angrily into Quynh, breathing down on her at this point by how close they stood there, facing each other with all their hate and just as much love for each other.

“Yet I stay.” Quynh manages to gasp out calmly.

“Why?” Andy demands, a crack in her voice. In her iced eyes. And her closed heart. “Why?” She nearly begged.

Quynh shakes her head. “I don’t know.”

Andy stands still. Frozen. In memory and pain. _I don’t know._ Those were always the words. Every time. “What do _you_ know, Quynh?”

Andy didn’t allow Quynh to speak as she break free from the trance that they were caught in. The cycle of their relationship. Of love. Of heartbreak.

Andy leaves for the shore with her agony and pain. And all her unspoken love that she was too lost to put into words.

And Quynh stays on the pavement with all her guilt and remorse. With all her flaming passion for the one women who slips her grasp every time. A flaming passion that only knew how to burn and destroy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally coming down to finish this story. sorry for the unexpected hiatus folks. i'm back now to reveal secrets of the past and future of our queer kings and queens :p


End file.
